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The changing nature of work is placing increased pressures on young people to manage their own career paths in flexible and creative ways. School-to-work transition programs are typically designed to assist with this process by providing adolescents with skills and knowledge to prepare them to enter the world of work. However, the school-to-work movement has been criticised for its lack of a theoretical basis to guide efforts to increase the vocational opportunities of adolescents. After critically reviewing the recent theoretical literature concerning the school-to-work process, this article examines four influential career theories: social cognitive career theory, person-environment fit theory, developmental theory and social learning theory. It then highlights the potential of each to inform the school-to-work process, and then examines practical intervention strategies that are consistent with the theories presented and likely to assist in effective school-to-work transition.