The Labor Department says even among high school graduates, twenty-one percent of those with no college were jobless.

VOA: special.2009.08.20

"It's been a very, very serious and critical situation, " said John David, a West Virginia University Institute of Technology professor and volunteer with the South Appalachian Labor School who has been working in Fayette County.

CNN: July 7, 2012 -- Updated 0222 GMT (1022 HKT)

Today, less than 10% of the native-born men in the labor force are high school dropouts.

CNN: Key to immigration reform: Worker visas

In 1960, half of the native-born men in the labor force were high school dropouts happy to do physically demanding, low-skilled work.

CNN: Key to immigration reform: Worker visas