ABSTRACT
The zone of liminality is a zone where outcomes are uncertain and in which people may develop a range of objective pathways which may be subjectively negotiated in a variety of ways. It is a zone which represents a changed reality, but also one that involves frequent changes in the ways in which individuals manage and interpret the foundations of their lives with the offer of a perspective free of the traditions of a Fordist life, which can be both liberating and threatening. One of the most significant changes affecting young people's experiences in the labour market, and their lives more generally, is the expansion of education. While it is true that recent increases in educational participation and attainment have not increased the prospects of social mobility, education can open horizons and impact on aspirations and expectations in work and non-work contexts.
