MAJOR FINDINGS As is made clear in the state profiles included in this report, due to demographic changes the destiny of Latino workers and the economy of the South Atlantic are inextricably linked. However, in the wake of the recession, state policies have missed major opportunities to tap the potential of its Latino workforce, to the detriment of workers and businesses alike. First, policies aimed at economic development have not adequately addressed major barriers to employment—low educational attainment and limited English proficiency—that affect a disproportionate share of Latino workers. Second, states have yet to recognize and respond to the financial and technical needs of Latino entrepreneurs, who themselves are a fast-growing pool of potential job creators. Finally, an antiimmigrant environment that pervades the region—and in some cases, state policies— has cast a cloud over economic progress and hurt both workers and businesses.
Limited Educational Attainment and English Proficiency Disadvantage Many Latino Workers A disproportionate number of Latinos in the South Atlantic has limited formal educational attainment and/or English proficiency, which puts them at a disadvantage when competing for scarce job opportunities in the South Atlantic industries. Regionally, Georgia is home to the largest share of Hispanic adults over the age of 25 without a high school diploma (44.2%),13 which is higher than the national rate (35.7%).14 At the same time, many new job openings in the region require some post-secondary training. According to North Carolina’s Department of Commerce, 42% of the new jobs being created in the state will require some post-secondary education, many in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines.15 Even among Latinos who have the educational background to gain access to higherskilled jobs, many still lack the language skills necessary for high-wage jobs. For example, South Carolina has the largest share of Hispanics with limited English proficiency in the region; nearly three out of four (73.5%) Latinos over the age of 25 speak English less than very well.16
Business Recruitment Thrives as Job Training Languishes
The economic development plans of the South Atlantic states show little evidence in that policymakers recognize the negative impact that the skills and language barriers of Latinos in the South Atlantic have on employment outcomes in their states. Throughout the region, policies intended to grow local economies have taken the form of tax subsidies to lure companies to their respective states. Some local observers criticize this narrow focus on business attraction, saying that it short-circuits job growth because the business attraction incentives are not paired with adequate investment in workforce training and education to prepare individuals for new jobs. Georgia is one example. According to Good Jobs First, a national organization promoting corporate and government accountability, most recent costs show that economic development investments for Georgia’s four largest business subsidy programs were approximately $62 million.17 Donna Ennis, Program Director of Atlanta’s Minority Business Development Agency Business Center, an organization focused on promoting the growth and competitiveness of minority business enterprises, believes that “state job creation policies have prioritized recruiting companies to the state through various tax incentives without proper attention to address the state’s workforce skills gap.”
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