The document discusses issues related to youth unemployment and education in the UK. It provides statistics on the rates of youths who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) from 1985 to 2010. It also examines participation rates of 16-18 year olds in various types of education and training programs over the same time period. The document raises questions about why many young people do not attain levels of education needed to enter well-paying jobs and whether this is correlated with their socioeconomic backgrounds. It queries what the explanations are for these trends and how research can best influence policy and practice.