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The relationships between education and employment are determined not only by the function of education to prepare learning for subsequent work tasks and other life spheres, but also by the fact that education selects: in an educational meritocracy, the monetary resources and the social recognitions are largely determined by the individuals' level of educational attainment and their competencies fostered during the course of learning. The levels and the types of education, however, never are closely ‘matched’ to professional positions and job requirements. Imperfections are unavoidable, because individuals have to be trained to cope with imperfections and to be able to change employment and work themselves proactively. National traditions of education and training persist to a certain extent according to which education might vary from being understood as the general foundation for professional learning on the job toward being understood as specific training for respective jobs. The dramatically rapid expansion of education is interpreted as serving the needs of the knowledge society as an oversupply which might be absorbed and as stimulating changes of the system of employment and work.