Contrasting employment, education, and training developments occurred during the 1980s in Britain and Australia. High school completion rates in Great Britain and Australia have been low in comparison to the United States, but the work pattern changed when the market for unskilled youth labor collapsed in the 1980s. Australia increased proportions of completers; Great Britain focused on employer-based training. Australian government officials withdrew job creation and employment subsidies and supported curriculum reform through policy coordination between education and labor departments. An increase in high school completers resulted. In Great Britain, an employment-based solution, the Youth Training Scheme, was favored whereas school reform was not, resulting in a low increase of school completion. The two countries differed in government coordination: British agencies followed a divergent path, whereas Australia's coordinated approach increased education participation rates. U.S. decision makers may learn more about the potential of work-based training by looking at the experience of Britain and Australia. Although employer input is important, such training should be controlled and delivered by schools and colleges rather than the employment sector. (94 references) (NLA)