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We must never forget that the compulsory schooling period was the first stage in the transition to working life. After that stage a variety of paths opened up, more or less attractive according to the youngster's needs, aspirations and talents, said Junior Education Minister William Shelton, in an address to the National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling Conference. This network of pathways must be coherent. It must be mapped in a way that can easily be understood by those who have to choose their route. These tasks are not easy, and they place demanding responsibility on us all. Until now, the main contribution from the education side to the Manpower Service Commission's programmes had come through further education colleges. They have played a particularly important part in Unified Vocational Preparation, where some pioneering work has been done in the genuine integration of education, training and work experience. That programme has now been enlarged, and can no longer be cost‐effectively managed as a joint project between the Education Departments and the MSC, although the DES remains involved at every level.