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This article reports on a sample of early school-leavers in rural Australia who attempted to make the journey from school to work or training. Initially, the authors had difficulty in locating an appropriate sample of early school-leavers, and the process of locating young participants is highlighted. For this study, data were gathered from early school-leavers and informants who included employers, service providers and training providers. Interviews and focus group discussion were the two main data-collection procedures. The key findings emerging from an analysis of these data included a description of early school-leavers' attributes that made it difficult to gain employment and to access suitable training. The study supported the view commonly held that early school-leavers tended to leave school because they were unhappy or underachieving and felt that work would be better. Employers reported that early school-leavers did not always make good employees. Many of the informants commented that early school-leavers would be better off continuing their school studies and suggested ways in which school education and support services might improve the current situation. It appears that while there is evidence of different perspectives taken by such informants, there is also a degree of commonality relating to the need to create a range of pathways to employment, the need to make these pathways attractive, and to provide an appropriate guide for young people to navigate their chosen pathway.