** ADVANCE FOR RELEASE MONDAY, JUNE 7, AND THEREAFTER ** In this photo taken May 22, 2010, Brownie … [+]
Last week, I participated in a panel at the Hispanic Leadership Summit, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, and sponsored by the non-profit, non-partisan organization, We Are All Human. Spearheaded by its founder, Claudia Romo Edelman, the summit provided a wealth of data, which caught my attention, and should be of interest to anyone concerned about ensuring the U.S. has a well-educated workforce going forward.
The bottom line is our country is about to experience its next demographic revolution. Those were the thoughts suggested by Stacie De Armas, Vice President of Hispanic Market Insights for Nielsen, and I agree with her.
According to De Armas, demographic revolutions only occur about every seventy years, the last one being the Baby Boomer generation. For scale, according to De Armas, during the Baby Boom period of the post-War 1940’s and 1950’s, 76 million children were born, representing about 40% of the country’s population during that time. The only difference is that this revolution will involve the Latinx community—the fastest growing demographic in the US today. One challenge in attracting, retaining and fully engaging this vibrant, growing, and hyper diverse community, is understanding the expansive diversity that exists within this group itself. This is an ethnic group made up from more than 33 countries, so similarities and differences are important to fully appreciate.
According to Pew Research Center, as of 2017, there were nearly 60 million Latinos in the U.S., accounting for approximately 18% of the total U.S. population. This generation of Hispanics skews incredibly young. The most common age of Hispanics in the U.S. right now is 11 years old, according to the Pew Research Center. With a median age of 28, they are the youngest ethnic or racial group in the U.S. That number is leading to a boom in the labor force, with Hispanics accounting for 75% of all U.S. labor force growth over the last six years, highlighted in a recent Nielsen report.
This means in the next ten years, we will have a large influx of Hispanic young adults, entering both higher education institutions and the workforce. Nonetheless, Hispanics on a 2:1 ratio feel the system is failing them, according to a preview presented from the Edelman Trust Barometer by Richard Edelman at this same conference.
Education is one of the most important achievements for these Hispanic families, but it can often be difficult to attain. Per De Armas’ analysis at the summit, 72% of Hispanic high school graduates were enrolled in college after graduation. While this is an impressive number, and even slightly higher than many of their peer groups, I know from experience that of those 72%, more than half will begin their college journey at community colleges. They will bring the same aspirations of other young people. That is, to not just make a living, but have the stability that skilled labor and a college education can provide.
We have to look at the bigger picture here too. It’s not just education that is changing, it is the workplace itself. Automation, artificial-intelligence, a knowledge-based economy based on digital literacy, and other factors are literally re-imagining what jobs will look like in the next few decades.
Clearly, we need to ensure the skills and technological know-how to perform in tomorrow’s working environment are available to everyone. We should be especially concerned that the groups, which are going to provide the largest percentage of workers in the future, are not left out or relegated to second-placing training and preparation for the new workforce of tomorrow. Doing so would not only be unfair, but it would be contrary to sound economic policy and would risk losing our nation’s leadership position in creating jobs and a healthy middle class.
Much of the discussion at the Summit centered around the importance of role models and mentors from within the Hispanic community to help guide the upcoming generation. The importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics or STEAM education, apprenticeships and internships were broadly discussed.
We need to build a bridge for these students to move from community colleges to highly-selective four-year universities and colleges. It’s important that we not under-match people, of any demographic group, with their full potential because of historic enrollment patterns, or lack of awareness.
I support vocational training and apprenticeships tied to companies, offering students real incomes while they are learning a skill or trade. Indeed, research spotlighted at the same conference showed that most Hispanics have more faith in businesses and corporations than the government to lead effective change in terms of embracing their community.
But that is only part of the equation. We need to ensure our largest group of future workers not only has been given the educational and training tools to fully enter the workplace and succeed. We also need to ensure its leaders and future role models are also being created. That requires helping ensure access to our nation’s leading universities and colleges.
As a proud Latina from Puerto Rico, I have always recognized that like other communities, Latinos aspire for their children to graduate high school, go to college, thrive financially, provide for their families, and live fulfilled lives through financial security. Fulfilling those aspirations benefits everyone, not just the Latino community. Tapping into the Latino talent pool must be approached with a keen understanding of the diversity within this group, an appreciation for those who have historically been marginalized through underserved education, and other social factors that distinguish this group and reflect its history.
The good news is that companies looking for a talented and dedicated workforce, and colleges seeking engaged students with parents that value education, will find a treasure trove in the Latino community. As part of the summit, many major companies signed The Hispanic Promise, a first-of-its kind national pledge launched at the World Economic Forum in 2019, to hire, promote, retain, and celebrate Hispanics in the workplace. I urge these companies to first invest in the education sector and expanding access to well resourced Pre-K to 12 education and preparation apply, enroll and graduate from college.
Without an education that can fulfill the demands of the future workforce, or one that fails to create pathways for high performing Latino students to attend the nation’s top colleges, we are undervaluing the community’s potential. I celebrate the goal of getting Latino’s into the C-Suite, as well as in governmental leadership, and elected office, but I know that the path there usually starts in the classroom.
