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This paper explores the influence of two government departments, the Department of Employment and the Department of Education and Science (now the Department for Education), on post‐16 provision during the last decade. In acknowledging the underlying move to vocationalizing the post‐16 curriculum and processes, two new concepts are introduced for distinguishing those policies intended for the short‐term control of entry to the labour market, regulatory vocationalism, and those longer‐term policies of anticipatory vocationalism intended to raise the skill and knowledge base of the workforce for an uncertain and highly competitive economic and employment future. The paper examines the main instruments of policy from A New Training Initiative: A Programme for Action (DE/DES, 1981) to Education and Training for the 21st Century (DES/DE, 1991), arguing that over the decade it has been the immediate social and political contexts which have largely determined policy towards post‐16 provision and therefore led to a period of superficially episodic initiatives. However, it is further argued that whereas the rhetoric of policy is shifting towards a longer‐term vision, the changes in education and training infrastructure are only compatible with short‐term concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]