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National policy in Australia in the 1990s saw considerable focus placed on career education, vocational education and training programs in schools. Emphasis on each led to some element of confusion about their place in schools and the role of related personnel, as well as a perception that each was in competition for policy attention and funding support. However, each has a vital role to play in the career decision-making behaviour of adolescents in schools. This article briefly reviews the policy context in Australia, and provides an overview of the changing world of work and the youth labour market. It then explores the place of career education and vocational education and training in schools, and attempts to clarify the relationship between them, particularly in relation to the underpinning motivation behind both educational agendas and the role of personnel.