Why should we care? Why should we care? What can we achieve What can we achieve together?together?
Work-based Literacy Summit
Anson GreenCoordinator, Workbased English SolutionsEconomic and Workforce DevelopmentAlamo Community Colleges
Changing work, Changing workers
Changing workChanging work
Source - U.S. Department of Commerce - 21st. Century Skills for 21st. Century Jobs
In 1950
20% Professional 60% Unskilled 20% Skilled
I
In 2000
20% Professional 15% Unskilled 65% Skilled
In 2006
20% Professional 5% Unskilled 75% Skilled
Changing WorkChanging Work
21st Century Jobs21st Century Jobs
Source - U.S. Department of Commerce - 21st. Century Skills for 21st. Century Jobs
Changing Work Changing Work
High demand for culturally High demand for culturally and linguistically competent and linguistically competent workersworkers36% of Texans are Hispanic, yet Hispanics are severely underrepresented in Health Services: 9% RNs 7% Nurse Practitioners 11% Physician Assistants
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2003). Border County Health Workforce Profiles: Texas
Changing Work Changing Work
Customer Service Customer Service ExpectationExpectationssFrontline employees with limited English are often a
direct link to customers.
Poor communication skills can have an indelible impression, impacting customers’ overall perception of the quality of a company’s offerings.
Source: Levenson, A. 2001
Changing Work Changing Work
Frontline CommunicationFrontline Communication• Widespread integration of electronic
communication into the everyday workflow has increased the need for good reading skills among frontline workers.
• Many companies have eliminated middle management and devolved responsibility to frontline workers.
Source: Levenson, A. 2001
Changing workforceChanging workforce
Changing WorkforceChanging Workforce News We Must Act OnNews We Must Act On
First and second-generation immigrants together are projected to account for all U.S. labor force growth between 2010 and 2030. Lowell, B., Gelatt, J., Batalova, J., 2006
Changing WorkforceChanging Workforce
Labor PoolLabor PoolImmigrants in the U.S. labor force reached an
historic high in 2005 (14.7%). In Texas, 15.9%. Migration Policy Institute, 2006
Changing WorkforceChanging Workforce
The Elevator SpeechThe Elevator Speech
The New Texas Challenge, Steve Murdock et al. 2003.
Changing Workforce Changing Workforce
Workforce DiversityWorkforce DiversityExample: San Antonio Workforce 220,000 San Antonio area residents are LEP.
(U.S. Census Bureau, 2006)
16.4 % growth in the Hispanic population in Bexar County from 2000 to 2006. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008)
San Antonio boasts a higher percentage LEP residents with bachelor degrees than the state average.
This segment as grown 52% since 2000.(Migration Policy Institute, 2008)
Changing Workforce Changing Workforce ExampleExampleLEP Residents with Bachelor LEP Residents with Bachelor DegreesDegrees
Bachelor's Degree or Higher for Certain Language Groups in 2006
Language Texas San Antonio•Spanish 426,926 (10.4%) 44,520 (17%)•Other Indo-European Languages
153,790 (49.5%) 6,244 (52%)
•Speak Asian and Languages
174,758 (47.5%) 4,925 (51%)
•Speak Other Languages 38,625 (45.8%) 794 (68%)
Texas State Demographer, Karl Eshenbach, personal communication.
Changing Workforce Changing Workforce
Change PerceptionsChange Perceptions
LEP
Skilled and Degreed
Professionals
While most LEP in Texas have limited education from their home country, many have marketable skills and degrees.
Low Educational Attainment
Changing WorkforceChanging Workforce The FutureThe Future In 2005–2006, almost half of the Texas public school
population were Hispanic. Over 34 percent of these students were LEP. Texas Education Agency, n.d.
Changing Workforce Changing Workforce
The FutureThe Future In 2006, only 12 percent of LEP students in the
twelfth grade passed the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test and only 8 percent of tenth graders passed all TAKS standards. Scharrer, 2007
What can we achieve What can we achieve together?together?
Why should we Why should we care? care?
Anson GreenCoordinator, Workbased English SolutionsEconomic and Workforce DevelopmentAlamo Community Colleges