Asian-Americans ages 16-24 have a more difficult time finding jobs than whites with the same
level of education, according to a study by the Economic Policy institute.
The study, released in July, shows that while the likelihood of whites with a bachelor’s degree
being unemployed is 4.7%, Asian Americans with the same degree have a 7.2% of being
unemployed. The rate of unemployed Asian Americans with advanced degrees is also higher
than that of whites with the same degree.
In addition, more Asian Americans remained unemployed for the second quarter of this year
than other minority groups. According to Ken Wong, who teaches at UCLA’s Center for Labor
Research and Education, these statistics are due to the fact that many Asians do not have the
network or language skills needed to find new jobs. Lena Ren, a 21 year-old Yale student, holds
a similar opinion, saying that in general, Asian families place a heavier emphasis on academics
over extracurricular activities. Ren said, “To successfully get a job one needs to not only be
smart, but possess teamwork and leadership skills as well. I think that regardless of ethnicity, one
needs to have enriching experiences both inside and outside the classroom in order to excel in the
workplace.”
Sources:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130408243&ft=1&f=1006
By Ashley Truong
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