Vocational education and training (VET) can play a central role in preparing young people for work, developing the skills of adults and responding to the labour-market needs of the economy. Despite this role, VET has been oddly neglected and marginalised in policy discussions, often overshadowed by the increasing emphasis on general academic education and the role of schools in preparing students for university education. It has also often been seen as low status by students and the general public. As a result, comparative policy analysis is undeveloped, and there are very limited data available, especially data that can be reliably compared across countries.