A new study conducted by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) found a widening equity gap among different racial and ethnic groups in the job market.
As compared to black people and Latinos, white workers are most likely to get major chunk of good jobs at every level of educational attainment.
In 2016, according to “The Unequal Race for Good Jobs” report jointly published by CEW and JPMorgan Chase & Co., white workers were disproportionately holding the number of good jobs to their share of overall employment.
Nationally, they held 77 percent of good jobs though they collectively hold 69 percent of all jobs, while black and Latino workers held 10 percent and 13 percent of good jobs respectively. Even those workers of color, who are able to land good jobs, earn way less than their white peers.
“Access to good jobs is one of our nation’s most urgent challenges, and this report defines the need to invest in workforce solutions for communities across the country to help those most at risk of falling behind,” said Jennie Sparandara, head of workforce initiatives, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
On the bachelor’s degree pathway, median earnings for good jobs for white workers was $75,000 in 2016, compared to $65,000 for both Black and Latino workers.
Along three educational pathways, black workers gained good jobs in the bachelor’s degree and middle-skills pathways, while Latino workers gained good jobs on all three educational pathways including the high school. The rising demand for workers with college degrees has mostly benefitted white workers.
“Without significant changes to the systems that perpetuate these inequities, they will continue for generations to come,” said Jeff Strohl, CEW director of research and co-author of the report.
The report recommended various measures to close racial and ethnic equity gaps in good jobs which includes increasing funding for community colleges, giving economic incentives to companies that prioritize diversity in hiring and addressing discrimination.
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