Not Lost in Translation: The Growing Importance of Foreign Language Skills in the U.S. Job Market
The demand for bilingual workers in the U.S. increased dramatically from 2010 to 2015: online bilingual job postings increased from around 240,000 in 2010 to roughly 630,000 in 2015. This report from New American Economy investigates the growing demand for bilingual workers and what can be done to help both U.S.- and foreign-born workers access these high-demand jobs. The report finds that the need for bilingual workers is widespread across many industries and skill levels, but especially strong in healthcare and finance. Individual employers like Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and the health insurer Humana had an exceptionally high number of postings. Strong demand existed for speakers of Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish. The authors applaud policy initiatives such as the "Seal of Biliteracy," which recognizes advanced language skills among high school graduates, as well as efforts to aid bilingual immigrants get relicensed for careers that they pursued in their home countries. The authors recommend enhanced foreign language instruction in high schools and universities for non-native speakers and more workforce preparation programs so bilingual immigrants can better connect with employers. (Samantha Jones for The ILC Public Education Institute)
New American Economy. (2017). Not Lost in Translation: The Growing Importance of Foreign Language Skills in the U.S. Job Market. Available here: http://www.newamericaneconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NAE_Bilingual_V8.pdf