Alexis M. Herman (left)

Commit yourself to lifelong learning Black collegians. This is my secret of success for you and anyone else, who expects to succeed in America today. Our economy is booming. Since the Clinton-Gore Administration took office, our economy has added more than 22 million new jobs and unemployment has fallen to record lows. Those with college degrees are the greatest beneficiaries of this prosperity. The ten fastest-growing, best-paying jobs all require a college degree. Moreover, the income gap is widening. Twenty years ago, the average college graduate earned 38 percent more than the average high school graduate; today he or she earns about 76 percent more.

Increasingly, this is a knowledge-based economy and the only way to remain a competitive participant in it, is to continue to get the education and training necessary for your full participation in today's workforce. This is a strong case not only for getting your college degree—and graduate-level training as well—but for lifelong learning to keep pace with the new technology that is driving the New Economy. Learning means earning - and knowing means growing!

I applaud all African Americans who earn a college degree, but as Secretary of Labor, I am also deeply concerned about millions more of us whose education stops with their high school diploma or without one.  For them, skills are the key to success, particularly high-tech skills. We don’t have a worker shortage in this country - we have a skill's shortage. That is why the Department of Labor is working in many ways to advance {training efforts for more} American workers and new entrants to the workforce. Our new Youth Opportunity Movement is investing more than a billion dollars in community partnerships to impart skills to young people in areas of high unemployment. We have also revitalized hundreds of community One-Stop Career Centers that match workers with jobs and training.

Our goal at the Department of Labor is, not only to continue today’s prosperity, but to expand it to include everyone - because we can ill afford to allow anyone to be left behind. Take the advice my parents gave me, bloom where you are planted. Every position, every job matters; perform it with professiona1ism and care. Just think, 30 years ago, I too was a proud college graduate of Xavier University in New Orleans who wanted to help people. Armed with a degree in social work, I spent many years in that profession. Today I sit in the Cabinet of the President of the United States doing the same thing - helping and empowering American workers. You too can make your dreams come true—just remember that education and hard work are the real “secrets” of success.

Alexis M. Herman is the U.S. Secretary of Labor.