A new report funded by the Ford Foundation takes a closer look at the demands of our evolving workforce and why the perspectives of people of color about the future of work are particularly critical.

With the majority of the U.S. expected to be people of color sometime between 2040 and 2050, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ report examines the needs, challenges and interests among different racial and ethnic groups when it comes to training and preparing for the workforce of the future.

We’re digging into the data from the Joint Center’s 2018 survey of 2,000 African American, Latinx, Asian American, and white workers to learn what employees are seeing in the workplace when it comes to technology and what they say is needed to prepare our workforce.

In the workplace

• Approximately 38 percent of American workers reported an increased use of technology at their job while only 12 percent reported “more automation.” However more white and Asian American respondents saw technological change at work than Latinx and African Americans.

• While 24 percent of African American workers who were surveyed believe technology has increased workplace opportunities, 9 percent believe it has taken away opportunities.

• When asked which workplace benefits are valued most, Latinx workers were more likely to identify retirement benefits and pathways to new opportunities more than workers of other racial groups, while African American respondents identified job security and stability more than other racial groups.

Training for the future

• Most workers from all racial backgrounds said they were interested in employer-provided training, though Asian American interest was considerably higher at 85 percent.

• Regardless of race, financial constraints were the most cited barrier to obtaining additional job training. Roughly 50 percent of the respondents from each racial group reported that financial constraints stood in the way of obtaining additional job training.

• American workers across racial groups say they generally see the federal government, individuals, families and employers as bearing greater responsibility for preparing the workforce for a changing economy rather than schools and state governments.

• A significant majority of the 2,000 respondents support free college or training as a response to job displacement. African Americans (85 percent) expressed the highest support of this policy, followed by Asian Americans (78 percent), Latinx respondents (75 percent), and whites (70 percent).

• Data from people of color showed a significant interest in education and training. Asian Americans, African Americans and Latinx were all more likely than whites to be interested in obtaining education or training from all the provided options, including a college degree program, online college, community college, online training, a trade union and a GED.

• When it comes to preparing children for our future economy, there were differences among racial groups as to how schools should approach this work. Latinx and white survey respondents said they value vocational training as an important strategy for workforce preparation, while about 27 percent of African Americans said proficiency in core education subjects would be most impactful followed by requiring schools to teach computer programming.

“These perceptions by people of color are important in developing solutions to ensure that Americans from all backgrounds are prepared to participate in the economy in the future and that the U.S. economy remains competitive,” the report states. “Considering racial perceptions about the future of work is also essential in addressing long-standing challenges that have plagued America since its founding and ensuring that well-intentioned proposals do not exacerbate existing disparities over the next 50 to 75 years.”

Want more?

Read the full report.