- According to the Idaho Commission on Hispanic
Affairs, Idaho's Hispanic
population has increased by 63% in the last 10 years, as compared to a
21% increase in non-Hispanics in Idaho. According to the 2010 Census,
approximately 11.2% of the total Idaho population is Hispanic.
-
In seven Idaho counties Hispanics make up over 20%
of
the population and at least one county has a Hispanic population of
approximately 40.5%, which is more than twice that of the average
national percentage of 16.3%.
-
There are large regions in Southern Idaho, in
particular, with more than 20% Hispanic/Latino populations.
Furthermore, according to the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs,
there are some schools in rural areas
in which the Hispanic population has risen to as high as 80%.
- As Idaho's Hispanic population increases, so does the
Limited English Proficiency
(LEP) Hispanic population. The 2010 census revealed that 61% of Idaho
Hispanics come from
homes speaking a language other than English. The 2007 Hispanic Profile
Data Book stated that 32% of Idaho Hispanics spoke English "not well or
not at all."
- On a national level, as of 2012, Hispanics/Latinos
represent 16.9% of the total population. US Census projections predict
that by the year 2050 the US Hispanic/Latino population will have
reached 102.6 million,
approximately 24.4% of the total US population.
- The Hispanic population and Hispanic LEP population
grew in every region of the United States
between 2000 and 2010, and most significantly in the South and Midwest.
- The 2010 US Census reported Hispanics are the largest
minority group represented in the Intermountain West. The South saw a
57% increase in its Hispanic population, which was four times the
growth of the total population in the South (14%); in the Midwest it
grew
by 49%, more than 12 times the growth of the total population in the
Midwest (4%). Western states also
saw significant growth, 34%, between 2000 and 2010, while the
Northeast's Hispanic population grew by 33%.
In particular, Hispanic concentrations were found in counties within
central Washington, in Kansas, Idaho, Okalahoma,
Nebraska, and Colorado; around Chicago and along the East coast fron
New York to Virginia; in central and southern Florida; and the District
of Columbia.
WILL PROFICIENCY
IN SPANISH HELP ME GET A JOB? YES! Here are some reasons
why, and some possible employment opportunities for majors in Spanish
for Healthcare:
- Spanish is considered the most important language to
learn in the United States right now.
- ..."Spanish is understandably stressed as the most
important language for Americans of any age to learn...Regardless
of your age, it's never too late to ad a skill that will boost your
employment prospects and possibly your paycheck.
The need for employees with foreign language skills is only expected to
grow in the next 10 years, and there are
many fields hwere being bilingual can have a real bearing on your
candidacy (Chicago Tribune, 2012).
- Employment opportunities for Spanish-speakers
increase every year.
- "The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 22%
increase in employment for interpreters (generally defined
as on-the-spot and person-to-person) and translators (involving written
or recorded matter) in al job categories. The greatest
number of these will be shared betwen health care and law where "it is
critical that information be fully
understood among all parties." For more information, go to this website
about diveristy in Healthcare:
Bilingual
Health Care Providers
- Medical Fields: Many medical facilities are in need
of multilingual personnel to communicate often-complicated information
with patients and their families, especially in emergencies. Registered
nurses, home heath aides, and paramedics are the health care fields
most often in need of bilingual
workers.
- Education: The growing popularity of multilingual
education programs means that those who can teach foreign languages are
also hot commodities.
- Customer Service/Hospitality: When dealing with
people who may be from foreign countries,
either on the phone or at a hotel's front desk, knowing a second
language can be a huge asset.
Customers and tourists appreciate being able to communicate with
customer service and hospitality
workers in their native language, making you more attractive to
employers.
- Government: Many government agencies are recruiting
and rewarding bilingual workers
with extra pay. While Spanish is the language most in demand, Chinese,
Arabic, and Russian speakers are also needed
in various parts of government. Whether gathering intelligence for a
government agency, working for a foreign embassy, or serving as a
translator,
there are many bilingual opportunities in public service.
- Finance: As the U.S. economy has grown increasingly
global, employees in the financial industry
are dealing with customers and clients who use various currencies and
speak many different languages. Learning another
language can give you an advantage and make you much more valuable to
multinational companies.
- Information Technology: The impact of outsourcing on
the tech industry has led to a great
need for those who possess foreign language skills. It's importnt for
technology firms to limit language
barriers when managing large projects that often have an international
workforce and span various countries, where clear and concise
communication of highly technical work is key.
The Impact of the
Hispanic population is wide-ranging. Here is some additional
information about the Hispanic population's importance in Idaho's
economy, as well as the overall economy of the United States.
In Idaho:
- "Despite sluggish overall economic growth the past
two years, the Hispanic community in the state broke the $3 billion in
buying power mark for the first time in 2011. The increase in the
buying power of Idaho Hispanics, the state's largest minority, jumped
11.2 percent to nearly $3.2 billion in 2011 while non-Hispanic buyhing
power
was up just 6 pwercent to over $46.1 billion." (For more information,
see the Blackfoot Journal's article
on Hispanic
Buying Power
In the Nation:
- The number of Hispanic owned businesses increased 37
percent between 1992 and 2002.
- According to the Census Bureau, the number of all
Hispanic businesses was up 49 percent to nearly 2,800 (601 with
employees) and those businesses tripled their payrolls to over $65
million.
- According to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at
the University of Georgia, This growth
is making the Idaho consumer market more diverse, creating new
opportunities for businesses that reach out to this
expanding economic bloc through product line and advertising.
- The Selig Center estimates that the buying power of
Hispanics in Idaho at nearly $1.8 billion in 2005, accounting for
nearly 5
percent of the total buying power in Idaho. That was up 350 percent
fron less than $400 million in 1990 (Idaho Hispanics, Total Buying
Power, 1990-2004)
Internationally:
- In 2012, Idaho exported $257 million in goods and services to Mexico. Mexico is Idaho's seventh largest
trading partner.
- Idaho and Jalisco, Mexico, established a sister-state relationship in 1996. Idaho maintains a trade
office in Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco. The office is jointly managed by the Idaho Department of Commerce
and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.
- As Roger B. Madsen, Director, Idaho Commerce
& Labor confirms, "Business owners
who take the time to learn about our state's Hispanic Population,
income, and buying power will successfully deliver
goods and service to one of the fastest-growing consumer markets in
Idaho." (Idaho Department of Labor, 2006)
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