This article examines the concept of employability. The recent policy emphasis on ernployability rests on the assumption chat the economic welfare of individuals and the competitive advantage of nations have conze ro depend on the knowledge, sl~ills and enterprise of the workforce. Those with degree-level qualifications are seen ro play a particularly importalll role in 111anaging che 'knowledge-driven' economy of the future. But the rhetoric that shrouds the idea of employability has been subjected to little conceptual examination. The purpose of this article is to show that the way employability is typically defined in official statements is seriously flawed because it ignores what will be called the 'duality of employability'. le also incmduces 'positional conflict theory' as a way of conceptualising the changing relationship between education, employment and the labow· market.

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The use of information technology in education is now a political orthodoxy, seen by many politicians and educators as a ready means of widening participation to those social groups traditionally excluded from learning. However; the role of technology in overcoming social exclusion in education and lifetime learning practices has often failed to be objectively discussed, with a tendency for many educationalists to adopt either overtly optimistic or pessimistic positions. From this background, the present article objectively examines both current patterns of exclusion from education and technology alongside the range of ongoing policies and initiatives established in the United States concerned with technology and education. Moreover; based on a range of North American and European research literature concerned with participation in education, the article then discusses the issues and problems faced by U.S. educationalists and policy makers in proactively using technology as a means of reducing social exclusion in lifelong education.

The current Government has placed lifelong learning high on its agenda, both for reasons of economic bene t and to increase social inclusion. At 'half-term', what are the prospects for a 'pass' in this course? Using data from a new National Institute of Adult Continuing Education survey of adult participation in learning, and early results from participant observation of the setting up of a 'virtual college', as well as published ndings from pilot studies for the University for Industry, this article considers the challenges facing the Government in widening participation through the use of digital technology. The 'problem', of widening access to learning opportunities for all, is not a new one, and it is unlikely to be one with a simple technical x. The conclusion drawn here is that the emerging use of digital technology is likely to replicate existing inequalities in access to learning. Despite the ne efforts of those involved, and some ingenious technical and distributional suggestions, the recommendation must therefore be that we all try harder. NOTES[1] The occupationa l class categorie s used here are, of necessity, those of the NIACE survey as used by MORI. Categories A and B represent the service class of professionals , associate professional s and managers, C1 and C2 represen t non-manual and skilled manual respectively , and categorie s D and E represent part-and unskilled occupations .