Similarly, employers have choices when developing hiring practices, organizing work or wages, and making decisions about training employees.

Individual characteristics are essential determinants of

As Figure 1 shows, personal characteristics have a strong bearing on an individual's employability. As a consequence, the concept of employability takes into account: all types of disabilities (physical or mental), impediments faced by members of a "disadvantaged" group, and accumulated educational difficulties. No personal characteristic can be omitted when assessing an individual's employability. Any mechanism aimed at enhancing employability should be able to address special needs, such as attendant care, tutors, or materials in an alternative format.

...but employability is also conditioned by labour market characteristics.

Labour market characteristics also play a role in fostering or impeding employability. In addition to the factors listed in Figure 1, this side of the employability framework has two additional dimensions: a quantitative dimension and a qualitative one.

The quantitative dimension refers to an issue beyond the scope of the Task Force, an assumption that there are employment opportunities. It would be unfair to incriminate, for example, the education and training systems for the flaws in a transition system if there are insufficient jobs to "transit to." Although this issue must be addressed by economic policy, it should not be overlooked.

In fact, economic conditions may have an ambiguous effect. Adverse conditions often allow for a significant number of new opportunities, but of a less desirable type: unstable, short term, and part time. In assessing real employability, we must consider the question: for what kinds of jobs? Quality must be included among the criteria used to judge the success of a transition into employment.