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This paper documents the results of a project undertaken in Australia, Great Britain and Ireland. It identifies a number of successful approaches used to enhance the provision of pre vocational education. It focuses on the key strategies used by six training providers who offer pre-apprenticeship training in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. The study addressed the dilemma of the national skills shortage in engineering and the high rate of unemployed youth in this country. In an attempt to design a best practice model training program, the project researched a number of unique methods used in each of the countries visited that could assist TAFE providers in improving education and employment outcomes for students. By analysing the fundamental problems that many pre vocational courses experience, from the difficulties of recruiting students, to the final objective of achieving high employment outcomes, the paper explores some sound ideas that have been developed and found to be working well in the training organisations that were associated with the project. Each of the colleges involved in the study demonstrated specific strategic approaches with regard to planning, course design, industry consultation, delivery strategies, job search skills and network development. The paper outlines these strategies and details their impact on their respective programs.