I.W.I. Leaders Learn, Network at Latino Conference

As part of the Institute for Workforce Innovation’s Latino outreach initiative, Margaret Boyd, executive director of the Institute for Workforce Innovation, and Juan Rangel, director of workforce development, attended the inaugural National Council of La Raza (NCLR) workforce development conference in Chicago on Oct. 13-14.

Approximately 500 people attended the conference, entitled “¡Listo! Preparing Latino Workers for the New Economy,” with the goal of bringing together workforce development stakeholders from the local, state and national level to exchange ideas about program strategies, policy, and strategic partnerships. The NCLR presented a new report entitled, Learning in Context: Preparing Latino Workers for Careers and Continuing Education, which explores the impact of integrated training programs on low-skill and ESL participants. Workshops were offered along five tracks: career pathway strategies; serving vulnerable workers; youth workforce development; strategic partnerships; and local, state and federal policy solutions.

Hispanics represent the fastest-growing segment of the American workforce, with nearly 21.6 million Latino employees in the U.S. today. By 2050, it is estimated that one in three working-age Americans will be Latino. Through I.W.I., MCC is making a concerted effort to address Latino issues in education and community and workforce development.

Boyd and Rangel met with representatives from Carreras en Salud, a program sponsored by the Instituto del Progreso Latino, in search of a model site for a bilingual CNA program. Other opportunities for MCC to expand its outreach include law enforcement programming and other partnerships. Also in attendance at the conference were representatives from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, El Centro, the Guadalupe Center, the Full Employment Council, Donnelly College and Kansas City Kansas Community College.