This research aims to shed light on the role of private providers in delivering training to a particular cohort of learners - young people who have left school early. The authors surveyed 130 private ‘for profit’ registered training organisations (RTOs) to find out their perspectives on teaching and learning practices, engaging with early school leavers, and the educational and wellbeing support services provided to the young learners.

While the private RTOs in the study were eager to show a willingness to support the learners to complete their qualifications, unsurprisingly, their ability to do so is limited by the commercial realities of running a business in the ever-changing vocational education and training landscape.