![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ceo-na.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Captura-de-pantalla-2018-11-26-a-las-12.28.42.png\")
Jobs gains have been stronger in industries where blacks earn the least. Source: Reuters.<\/p><\/div>\n
During May, the unemployment rate for blacks sunk to 5.9%, the lowest since 1972 when the figure was first reported separately. In Memphis,\u00a0where 63% of the population is black and more than a quarter lives in poverty compared with a 14% national average, a \u2018gold rush\u2019 moment is present, as industries like\u00a0logistics and warehousing experience a “boom”.<\/p>\n
But there is an interesting milestone that haunts government upswings long before Trump took office: Past upswings have not been strong enough to endure the next economic downturn and\u00a0help workers weather the blow.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0minority hiring have remained clustered in industries such as food service, retail, and logistics, these markets tend to be the quickest to lay off staff when the economy slows, and the fear is that history repeats itself, leaving minorities vulnerable when leaner times arrive.<\/p>\n
STEM jobs, still behind<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince 1972, the\u00a0share of Blacks in the total labor force has never stopped growing, and it can reach a total of 21.6 million by 2026 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).<\/a><\/p>\nHowever, although Black employment continues to grow over the years,\u00a0Blacks and Hispanics continue to be underrepresented in STEM jobs (science, technology, engineering and math).<\/p>\n
The reasons for this, according to s<\/a>urveyed Blacks already in STEM positions,<\/a>\u00a0are due to limited access to quality education, lack of encouragement to pursue these jobs from an early age,\u00a0discrimination in recruitment and not easy-to-find promotions.<\/p>\nPew Social Trends reports<\/a> Blacks and Hispanics made up around 27% of the overall U.S. workforce as of 2016, but together they accounted for only 16% of those employed in a STEM occupation.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ceo-na.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Captura-de-pantalla-2018-03-09-a-las-12.10.41-e1520619112653-178x300.png\")
<\/a>Diverse perspectives and equal opportunities are important reasons to increase workplace diversity and productivity. Image: PEW<\/p><\/div>\n
A matter that’s important<\/strong><\/h2>\nDespite still having much to work on, changes have come.<\/p>\n
A\u00a02017 Pew Research Center\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0found that a majority of Americans believe that increasing number of people from different races, ethnic groups and nationalities in the U.S. makes the country a better place to live, while another 8-in-10 Americans say it is at least somewhat important to have racial and ethnic diversity in today\u2019s workplaces, including around half who categorize this as \u201cextremely\u201d (26%) or \u201cvery\u201d important (27%).<\/p>\n
However, although Black employment continues to grow over the years,\u00a0Blacks and Hispanics continue to be underrepresented in STEM jobs (science, technology, engineering and math).<\/p>\n
The reasons for this, according to s<\/a>urveyed Blacks already in STEM positions,<\/a>\u00a0are due to limited access to quality education, lack of encouragement to pursue these jobs from an early age,\u00a0discrimination in recruitment and not easy-to-find promotions.<\/p>\n Pew Social Trends reports<\/a> Blacks and Hispanics made up around 27% of the overall U.S. workforce as of 2016, but together they accounted for only 16% of those employed in a STEM occupation.<\/p>\n Diverse perspectives and equal opportunities are important reasons to increase workplace diversity and productivity. Image: PEW<\/p><\/div>\n Despite still having much to work on, changes have come.<\/p>\n A\u00a02017 Pew Research Center\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0found that a majority of Americans believe that increasing number of people from different races, ethnic groups and nationalities in the U.S. makes the country a better place to live, while another 8-in-10 Americans say it is at least somewhat important to have racial and ethnic diversity in today\u2019s workplaces, including around half who categorize this as \u201cextremely\u201d (26%) or \u201cvery\u201d important (27%).<\/p>\n<\/a>A matter that’s important<\/strong><\/h2>\n