New research highlights racial disparities in the workforce in Dallas and Collin Counties and makes actionable recommendations for equitable economic recovery

DALLAS, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report shows that despite its reputation as a beacon of economic vitality, there remain deep racial inequities in the Dallas labor market, made worse by the challenges of the pandemic. Coupled with data analysis, the report identifies workforce equity strategies that should be implemented across systems to foster economic prosperity.

Advancing Workforce Equity in Dallas and Collin Counties: A Blueprint for Action, released today by the National Equity Atlas (a partnership between PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute) with the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, United Way Pathways to Work, Burning Glass Technologies, and JPMorgan Chase, highlights stark realities for workers in the Dallas region.

Occupational segregation is stark and the impact is widespread. Black workers in Dallas and Collin Counties are about 18% of the total workforce but almost half (48%) of healthcare support workers and just 12% of both computer and mathematical jobs and management positions.

In 2018 alone, racial gaps in wages and employment for working-age people cost the region more than $115 billion in lost GDP. Inequities in the system are felt by the whole region, but workers of color are bearing the burden.

"Across our national network of employers, workforce development boards, training providers, and community partners, the situation mirrors what this data reveals: Racial inequities are entrenched in all aspects of the workforce system," said Amanda Cage, president and CEO of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. "To ensure the system works for everyone, we need to start fixing these issues now."

The report offers the following agenda for funders, employers, and community organizations to build a thriving and inclusive regional workforce: 

• Create good jobs and improve the quality of existing jobs.
• Use skills-based hiring, retention, and advancement strategies to reduce occupational segregation.
• Align workforce development and worker rights efforts to improve basic protections and increase opportunities for advancement.
• Coordinate with the local housing systems to ensure access to good jobs in affordable neighborhoods.

"United Way has set ambitious 10-year community goals to drive transformative change and advance racial equity in education, income and health in North Texas," said Andrea Glispie, director of United Way Pathways to Work, the local partner of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. "Increasing the number of young adults who earn a living wage by 20%, with a particular focus on Black and Latinx North Texans, is a top priority. The strategic recommendations in this report provide a roadmap for how to reach this goal."

"As workers across the country, especially in Black and Latinx communities, continue to face barriers to good jobs, it's critical to work across sectors to address these inequities," said Monique Baptiste, vice president of global philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase. "With data-driven insights and collaboration, and as part of JPMorgan Chase's commitment to advancing racial equity and preparing people for the future of work, we can begin to close the gap, grow opportunity, and define a clear path forward to a more inclusive economy."

The report, data and analysis can be found at https://nationalequityatlas.org/research/workforce-equity-dallas 

Advancing Workforce Equity in Dallas and Collin Counties was developed through a partnership of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, United Way Pathways to Work, PolicyLink, USC Equity Research Institute, and Burning Glass Technologies, with support from JPMorgan Chase.

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SOURCE The National Fund for Workforce Solutions