One effect of the recession has been substantially to alter the position of part-time workers in the economy. As a result, part-time jobs now make up over a quarter (27 per cent) of the total numbers working. Everyone knows that women work part-time far more commonly than men. How far this is a matter of "choice" is a real political as well as philosophical issue. Part-timers should no longer be treated as an afterthought, in statistics, in economic analysis, or in employment or welfare policy. This is not only because they are so heavily present in the ranks of the lowest paid. The relevance to adult learning is large. Of course, those who work part-time do not necessarily have that much more free time, but often have care responsibilities, young or old. Allied to this is the shifting profile of part-time provision of higher education. The author states that organizations, communities, and the nation should consider changing the profile of part-time careers in order to preserve "a huge chunk of talent."