The sub-baccalaureate labor markets we examined have a number of distinct characteristics which emerged clearly in all four local areas. These characteristics have consequences both for providers of education and training and for employers and in many ways are necessary to understanding both the nature of education providers (the subject of "The Providers of Education and Their Connections to Employers" section) and employment practices (in the "Employers in the Sub-Baccalaureate Labor Market" section). The characteristics we describe in this section differentiate the sub-baccalaureate labor market both from that for individuals with B.A. and graduate degrees and from the unskilled labor market.