A pressing problem in the United States today is that of employment: how to create enough jobs and, especially, what impact high technology will have on present and future jobs as well as educational need. Some policymakers see high technological industries as the basis for revitalizing the economy. The major challenge to education and training, according to this view, is to prepare adequate numbers of people with required high-level skills and to upgrade the present skill requirements of occupations. In this view, more, better, and more specialized education is needed. In contrast to these persons are those who predict that the effects of high technology on employment will be modest in both the number of jobs created and the skill level required, and that high technology will downgrade skill requirements of existing jobs as well as displace workers already in jobs. Furthermore, the labor force will not require expanded science and mathematics or computer literacy but will be employed in low-level service occupations. According to this view, the relatively small number of workers who will require higher-level skills will be able to obtain them through existing higher educational channels. In our view, what is needed is a comprehensive approach enabling persons to obtain the types of education and training that they need throughout their working lives. Such an approach, called recurrent education, would (1) respond to emerging educational needs, (2) cover a wide range of opportunities, and (3) by establishing a wide range of finance and information, allow persons to undertake a variety of educational and training experiences over a lifetime. Such a system should be a top priority for this country. (KC)