Offline 
Background
Location:
Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United States
Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United States
Digital TelevisionSolving Future Labor Shortages Among 50+ Workers
Many Older Hispanics – the “invisible” Boomers – Face Workplace Challenges
Older Hispanic workers can
play a dynamic role in helping solve long-term challenges for many
employers, as the traditional labor pool of workers ages 25-54
stagnates, according to a new AARP report, being released today at
AARP’s Diversity and Aging conference in Chicago.
That is a key finding of the
AARP study that focuses on the so-called “invisible”
Boomers – Hispanics – as a growing segment of the U.S.
workforce. Despite their growing importance, there has
been little public and media attention given so far to older Hispanics.
“Once the recession
ends, employers may face a scarcity of working age adults with the
necessary skills and experience,” said Deborah Russell,
AARP’s Director of Workforce Issues. “Hispanics are one of
the fastest growing segments of the older population, and they can
help in a big way in filling the void.”
The AARP study was prepared by
the Urban Institute, using Institute data and drawing on information
from the Census Bureau, the Department of Labor and the University of
Michigan as well. The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at the
University of Southern California provided recommendations for the report.
Some of the major statistical
findings of the study that are relevant to Hispanics’ work
careers are:
- In 2006-2008, 15 percent of Hispanics ages 50-69 reported work disabilities, compared with 24 percent of non-Hispanic blacks and 14 percent of non-Hispanic whites.
- Approximately 3.2 million Hispanics ages 50-69 were employed in 2007, earning a total of $126 billion.
- At age 65, Hispanic men and women can expect to live three years longer than non-Hispanic whites and four years longer than non-Hispanic blacks.
Noting that the number of
Hispanics ages 50-69 is expected to nearly quadruple by 2050, AARP
focused on employer practices to increase the employment prospects of
older Hispanics. They include:
- Develop recruiting materials in English and Spanish if an employer is open to hiring workers who are not fluent in English.
- Use media outlets and other recruiting channels that serve the Hispanic community.
- Implement retraining programs to help older workers in physically demanding jobs transition into positions that require less physical exertion.
- Consider offering educational opportunities to workers and job seekers who are good matches for certain career opportunities but who lack a few skills. Such training could include English-as-a-Second language and skill training, the report suggested.
- Consider training for managers that encourages them to embrace workplace diversity and stresses the value that diverse viewpoints can provide an employer.
For more findings on the older
Hispanic workforce, including differing statistics on foreign-born and
U.S.-born Hispanic workers, please see the full report at http://www.aarp.org/research/work/employment/hispanic_workers_09.html
The AARP conference, Diversity
and Aging in the 21st Century: The Power of Inclusion, brings together
experts in the fields of diversity and aging to examine the challenges
facing our diverse aging society. The conference offers hands-on
experience, in-depth discussion, networking opportunities and
continuing education credits for counselors, social workers, nursing
home administrators and other professionals. Details are available at
www.aarp.org/diversityandaging.
Hispanic Workers Ages 50+ May Help Employers Solve Potential Future
Labor Shortages
There are no comments for this item.
journal Details
Added: Jun 8, 2009
Views: 142
Comments: 0
Bookmarks: 0
Views: 142
Comments: 0
Bookmarks: 0
Groups
No groups selected.
Tags
No tags selected.
