Most of what you say is true, but I would put your "break year" after year six. We should bring back the old Technical school and divert those kids who are not academically inclined into that stream so that they start on a trade or other vocational training much sooner. The way the system runs at present, those who attend TAFE have not got sufficient prerequisite hands on skills to effectively use the knowledge they need to be effective in the workforce.

David