Representatives of the School-to-Work Roundtable studied education systems and work force training programs in Denmark and Germany. The group visited vocational schools, technical colleges, and firms sponsoring apprentices in Copenhagen and Munich and spoke with students, teachers, and mentors in apprenticeships in metalworking, textiles, electronics, and the culinary arts. They learned how youth training systems in these countries work and how these systems fit into national strategies for economic and work force development. Although the group did not advise recreating either country's system in the United States, the members believed that many aspects of these programs could inform planning and practice. These included the following: (1) developing a commitment to preparing youth for further schooling, work, and adult life; (2) creating clear pathways for students that are easily understood by all involved; (3) reforming education to make learning relevant to lifelong needs; (4) building strong partnerships among the business, industry, and education communities as the basis for system development; (5) raising standards for all students in both academic and technical programs; (6) organizing school-to-work programs around industry clusters; (7) developing a curriculum that fully integrates academic and work-based learning across a wide range of disciplines; and (8) creating flexible systems that can respond to current and future economic challenges. (YLB)