This report is a synthesis of an evaluation of the TRADEC (trades education) system to review its distinctive features and to assess its current effectiveness and future potential as a vehicle for the vocational preparation of young adults. (The TRADEC system comprises a family of schemes for the fusion of education and training into a curriculum design applicable to the needs of workers in occupations that do not require substantial training and are not catered for by conventional further education and training provisions.) An overview of the growth of the system is followed by a discussion of the distinctive features of the TRADEC system, including population, parameters of curriculum design, and structure and methodology. Next, the TRADEC approach is compared with other curriculum models. The comparative strengths of the TRADEC model are then examined, namely, acceptability to employers, liaison and the working partnership between the college and the company, acceptability to trade unions, ability to attract and maintain the participation of the intended target, and learner motivation. Divergence between intended and actual system performance as well as the potential of the system to educate and train a wide range of workers are also assessed. (Two data tables are appended.) (YLB)