Patterns of school-to-work transition in Ireland and Scotland in 1979-1991 were compared by using data from the annual Irish and biennial Scottish school leavers surveys. Unemployment among school leavers in both countries increased rapidly over the study period. A comparison of both respondent groups' educational experiences, educational attainment, labor market history, training, and course enrollments established that, although both countries saw an increase in participation in postcompulsory education, participation rates remained higher in Ireland than in Scotland. Throughout the study period, greater proportions of Scottish school leavers departed from the junior level of education. Unemployment rates were higher in Ireland than in Scotland. Individuals who left school at the end of their junior cycle were more likely to be unemployed. In Scotland, approximately half of all junior leavers entered youth training programs or apprenticeships. In Ireland, only a small proportion of junior leavers entered some form of training. The study demonstrated that the Irish response to unemployment of allowing full-time education to expand was not always attractive to poorly qualified young people. On the other hand, the Scottish response of increased provision of training prevented immediate unemployment for poorly qualified young people and provided an alternative to continuing in school. (MN)