Oh, well, that's help enormously...

[Aliantha]

Over here a bill was introduced quite a number of years ago, and the basic gist of it was that you get no benefits unless you're learning. Learning or earning is the catch phrase.

It seems to have worked quite well in that the money saved in unemployment benefits has been (supposedly) invested in training and education for people 15yrs and up to any age. Schools have two streams of education. Those working towards going to uni need to do certain subjects, while those intending to hit the workforce are encouraged to be involved in training and pre apprenticeship courses. Depending on the area the school is located it can be swayed more one way or the other, but basically, every single school offers similar programs, and it gives those kids less interested in traditional learning a reason to stay at school and get the kind of qualification that will help them in their own 'real world'.