LatPro interviewed for USA Today article 'Slow economy hits Hispanics hard'

Slow economy hits Hispanics hard
By Sue Kirchhoff, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Unemployment is rising faster among Hispanics than the rest of the U.S. population as the economy slows, a development that has ripple effects across the nation and into Latin America.

The steep, continuing U.S. housing downturn has had a disproportionate impact on the Hispanic workforce, which is highly concentrated in construction. Because homeownership is also the major source of wealth for Latino families, falling house prices have made it harder for small-business owners to use their residences as collateral for needed loans to run or expand their firms.

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Still, the picture isn't uniformly bleak. Latino workers with professional degrees, particularly in professions such as nursing, are in high demand. Companies want bilingual workers in order to reach out to the rapidly growing Hispanic market, as well as to meet internal needs.

"We haven't seen a decline in companies recruiting; there hasn't been a decline in the number of job positions," says Rob Steward, sales director at LatPro, an online employment site for Hispanic professionals.* LatPro is working with the National Society for Hispanic Professionals to put together nine job fairs around the country this year.

"Major (companies), small and everyone in between (are) still recruiting for the skill set these workers provide," Steward says.

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Read the complete USA Today article here

* bold emphasis added