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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org
Latinos are the youngest and fastest-growing segment of the American labor force, but the beginnings of their careers are often plagued with unique challenges. Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) released a report titled “Giving Them an Edge? The Effects of Work Experience on the Employment Prospects of Latino Young Men.” The report covers Latino men between the ages of 16 and 30, popularly referred to as the millennial generation.
NCLR’s analysis found that prior work experience makes a difference in whether young Latino men are employed or unemployed. Despite the fact that young Latino men have more work experience than their peers, that work experience made no measurable difference in the likelihood that Latino men in their late 20s will have a full-time job. Underemployment, a broader measure than unemployment that includes part-time workers who would prefer full-time work, is at a staggering 41.9 percent for Latino millennials who lack a college degree and at 16.2 percent for all Latinos.
A number of factors play a role in why these disparities exist for young Latino men, including the concentration of Latino workers in low-wage sectors of the economy and the limited job opportunities available through networks of friends and family. Undocumented immigration status also prevents many millennials from finding full-time work, as does implicit bias in hiring practices.
“For young Latino men, job experience alone isn’t sufficient for breaking into full-time employment,” said Catherine Singley Harvey, Manager of the Economic Policy Project at NCLR and author of the report. “Young men can’t solve these challenges on their own. We need to address the structural barriers that inhibit male Latino millennials from reaching their potential in the workforce.”
At a panel discussion co-hosted earlier today by NCLR, the Center for Law and Social Policy, and PolicyLink, and moderated by the National Journal, Singley Harvey outlined a number of recommendations for policymakers and businesses to expand employment opportunities for young Latino men. NCLR called on federal policymakers to pursue aggressive job creation strategies targeted to youth, prioritizing placement in full-time jobs, while also providing training that enables young men to build the skills needed for full-time careers. The report also proposes that businesses should reexamine how work experience is valued in recruitment and hiring and to take steps to address unintentional bias in hiring.
“Latino millennials bring a wealth of talent to American businesses,” added Singley Harvey. “Their success and the strength of the U.S. economy depend on effective strategies to ensure that more young Latino men are able to acquire and leverage early work experience.”
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