Introduction -- Qualifying for a calling : the philosophical rationale for vocational education -- Employer engagement : good for the bottom line, good for young people -- State-directed VET systems : formal public/private partnerships in action -- Journal essay: the German dual system : A U.S. observer reflects on a strong VET system / Robert B. Schwartz -- Workplace learning : "the school is not the center of the world" -- Journal essay: ordinary teenagers, extraordinary results : apprentices at work / Nancy Hoffman -- Changing the outcomes of youth left behind : policies and practices that protect and support -- Conclusion : possibilities in the United States.