The most recent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that blacks represent 15.6 percent of the overall 10 percent of unemployed American workers. Even with the slight improvement in unemployment rates among African-Americans, recent reports note that college-educated black men can't find work and that a minority's chances of landing good jobs are fleeting.
An Economic Policy Institute study, also released last month, shows the overall erosion of good jobs over the past 30 years. The study defines good jobs as those that pay enough to support a decent standard of living and offers health insurance and a retirement plan.
Despite the brutal unemployment numbers, some economic forecasters and business experts point to occupations that show promise for African-American workers. Health care occupations appear on most lists, with the BLS' figures showing that 29,000 such jobs were filled in October alone. Since the start of the recession, health care has added 597,000 jobs. Other high-growth jobs mentioned by the BLS include temporary help services, which added 44,000 jobs since July, including 34,000 in October.
Source: The Grio | Bonnie Davis
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