ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, May 3, 1996                    TAG: 9605030047
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: A-7  EDITION: METRO 

IN BUSINESS

Stressed-out workers need help, study warns

WASHINGTON - Prominent business and education leaders warn that American society will grow more divided without renewed private and public efforts to give workers skills and training needed in a rapidly changing economy.

A report released Thursday by the private Committee for Economic Development contains a warning for ``an increasingly skill-oriented world.''

The new economy generally bodes well for workers with education beyond high school and people prepared for careers in managerial, professional and technical occupations, the study said. ``But the American economy is offering fewer and fewer high-paying jobs and grim long-term prospects for the less skilled. Some Americans are being left behind, and others are feeling anxious, insecure and burdened.''

Among its recommendations:

Employers invest more in the training of workers, redesign their benefits and ease adjustment to job loss.

Government adopt growth-oriented economic policies, including greater national saving and investment and a streamlined regulatory regime.

Broaden economic opportunity for all Americans.

Change unemployment, retirement, health and other policies to better serve a flexible, mobile work force.

- Associated Press

Companies win defense contracts

Three regional companies have been awarded contracts by U.S. defense agencies:

Hercules Aerospace Co. of Radford won a $117,000 contract from the Army Industrial Operations Command in Rock Island, Ill., for operation of government-owned facilities.

Inland Motor of Radford won a $75,208 contract from the Naval Inventory Control Point in Philadelphia for torque motors.

Ericsson Inc. of Lynchburg won a $204,850 contract from the NCCOSC in San Diego for a communication system.

- States News Service

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