This article sets Youth Training Scheme (YTS) curriculum development work in Great Britain against the background of national policymaking in education and training which has to take account of social, political, and economic imperatives and acceptability. Section 1 deals with how curriculum developers/researchers may have to decide what to research when the program is already moving. Section 2 sets out the curriculum development issues and outcomes of the Core Skills Project and summarizes for other researchers some of the difficulties of curriculum development in YTS. Section 3 comments on the current state of YTS after several years of youth training development work, good practice, and experience. Section 4 comments on the role of the Core Skills Project approaches in supporting YTS and work-based learning generally as seen through the eyes of project workers. Finally, the paper makes a plea for the establishment of a center to assist in formulating a more coherent, planned, proactive approach to vocational education and training research and development work that can provide advice on research priorities to inform policymakers. (KC)