This paper argues that market failures and social goals are powerful rationales for public intervention in the employment and training area. The paper describes several troubling outcomes in the American labor market that are, at least in principle, remediable by an effective employment and training system. A review of the literature identified a number of programsschool-to-work programs, for examplethat work within the current context of employment and training policy. The paper describes ways to link employers with public employment and training policy and offers recommendations for restructuring the current system.