proposals for a national scheme for 16–18 year olds at work

The central concern of the first report was the transition from school to work. We noted this external change coincided with the internal change involving the ending of childhood and the achievement of adult status, a movement from dependence towards autonomy. We noted that while the academically able could, as it were, buy time by staying on in full‐time education, the majority of 16 year olds have to negotiate both changes simultaneously. This choice of occupation and training may have a more powerful meaning for young people and work itself may prove to be an important element in a young person's educational development. The division customarily adopted between education and training was shown to be unreal and even harmful.