This report presents the findings of a study group that examined full-time pre-employment courses available in England and Wales for young people over 16 years of age. Part 1 sets forth the group's objectives. Part 2 focuses on the procedures used to fulfill the study group's task of examining existing courses to determine whether they enhance young people's career and future education opportunities and serve their wider interests. Results of a background survey on pre-employment courses and an examination of the target group (students) are both considered. Part 3 presents a design base for pre-employment courses formed of these criteria: student characteristics--ability and attainment, vocational orientation, flexibility, transferability, currency, common core, length, and operational constraints. In part 4 course structure is described. Topics discussed are the general objectives of the basic course (core studies, vocational studies, job-specific studies), balance of these three elements in basic course, duration and timing, teaching/learning methods, and assessment. Following a summary including recommendations are three appendixes amounting to over one-half of the report: (1) the common core, including discussion of the induction phase and its aims and objectives; (2) methods of organizing/integrating core studies; and (3) some possible approaches to profile assessment. (YLB)