WASHINGTON�If you�re still thinking that a high school diploma or a GED is all you need to be all you can be, think again. Once upon a time the unskilled could get a job and prosper in the labor force, not so in the 21st century, according to a new report by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. The demand is now for skilled workers only.

According to the report, "The American Workforce in the New Millennium: The Growing Demand for Skills," Blacks and ex-offenders will be most affected by this trend unless they begin to make serious changes and gains in their skill levels.

"We thought it was crucial in this boom period to look ahead and identify keys to continuing economic success," said Eddie Williams, president of the Joint Center. "A skilled workforce is necessary for a strong economy and it is in the nation�s best interest to plan for both."

The Joint Center gathered members of the business community to meet with Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman at their first annual corporate forum. The results of the forum were put together into the report.

"We have literally shifted the entire profile of our workforce without the necessary investments to bring up the skill levels of workers today," said Secretary Herman, "as a matter of fact, in the United States, less than half of our workers actually have a college degree. We don�t have a worker shortage in this country, but we do have a skill shortage."

The report, released Sept. 2, states that jobs requiring computer skills top the list of the fastest growing occupations. The Department of Labor estimates that U.S. employment will grow by only 14 percent between 1996 and 2006. However, database administrator and computer support specialist jobs will grow by 188 percent. Jobs requiring a bachelor�s degree will grow by 25 percent and those requiring an associate�s degree by 22 percent.

The report goes on to state that employers are willing to pay more for skilled workers. According to the Department of Labor, in 1997 the average college graduate made 77 percent more than the typical high school graduate. A single year at a community college can increase a male�s wages between 8 and 14 percent (depending upon his age). In 1991 high school graduates with work-related training earned 26 percent more than those without it.

The federal government has tried to address the skills shortage problem with the Worker Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and the Welfare to Work Program. Both are designed to provide job training, adult education, literacy and vocational rehabilitation programs in addition to partnerships with small businesses.

Large companies spend huge dollars on employee training. AT & T leads the pack, spending $700 million per year on their workforce of 109,000 or approximately $6,422 per employee.

But for the rest of the country that doesn�t work for AT & T, the average employer spends $1,245 per year on employee training.

This may sound good if you work for a large company but if you work for a small business, or happen to be Black or Latino, chances are your employer is the least likely to offer training.

The report said more than half of all American manufacturers spend less than 1 percent of their payroll on training, while 4 percent of them spend nothing. On average, the high tech industry spends $911 per worker, while the customer-service sector spends only $162 per employee.

"Although current economic prosperity has benefited African Americans, the need for expanded avenues for skill training may be most acute in this community," said economist Andrew F. Brimmer, chairman of the Joint Center�s board of governors. "The gains made during this boom period could be eroded unless the skills they bring to the labor market are improved."

According to the report, compared to white workers, fewer Latinos and Blacks have college degrees while even fewer have degrees in math, science or engineering. To make matters worse Blacks and Latinos, on average, tend to score lower on tests of reading and mathematics proficiency than whites.

Dr. Margaret Simms, the Joint Center�s vice president for research, explained that young Blacks face a perceived deficit in "soft skills" not a lack of technical skills. Soft skills include thinking and problem solving skills, oral communication skills, personal qualities and work ethic and interpersonal and teamwork skills.

Harry Holzer, a professor at Michigan State University and chief economist at the Department of Labor, documented the impact soft skills have on the employment opportunities of young Black males.

"His analysis shows that Black workers suffer either because they don�t have those skills or because employers think they don�t have them. Both are equally important," commented Dr. Simms. "This suggests two issues. One is the need to ensure that training is available and the second is the importance of urging employers to think outside of the box�to not make assumptions about the skills minority workers have."

Dr. Simms went on to explain that most employers are unsure about how to provide soft skills training. Community organizations have been most successful in providing these skills to their residents. "This is another example where collaboration can be valuable," she said.

Thinking outside of the box is also very necessary when it comes to hiring ex-offenders. Many employers will not even consider hiring them regardless of their training skills. The results of a Michigan State University survey of 5,000 employers were that two out of three companies refuse to hire convicted felons.