African American Mayors Association releases report on the Future of Work in Cities
August 20, 2019
The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) just released a new report entitled, “The Future of Work: The Effect of Job Automation on African-American and Latino Workers in Three Cities.” This is the first in-depth study on automation that pairs economic analysis with educational analysis to offer localized solutions to anticipated job loss due to automation. The report examined three local economies: Gary, Indiana, Long Beach, California and Columbia, South Carolina. The study found that while jobs lost to automation may range anywhere from 9 percent to upwards of 50 percent for black and Latino workers in the cities studied, localities already have many often underutilized tools to mitigate such losses such as online training programs and apprenticeships.
Google.org funded the report which can be viewed online.
“What we have discovered through this is that research has the power to transform the American economy and, in particular, to revitalize black and brown communities and prepare an entire generation for the work of the future,” said Mayor Steve Benjamin of Columbia, SC. “There is still time to ensure our cities are ready to take on the demands of an increasingly global economy. We don’t have to get left behind–we can be essential to transforming the role the United States plays on the international stage.”
Mayors have a close-up view of the needs and experiences of residents and local industries. They also have close connections to school boards and county and state government officials. Thus, local leaders are in strategic positions to marshal and coordinate resources and disseminate information about education and workforce training programs. In addition, local leaders can lobby state and federal governments to support high-quality, evidence-based programs and develop comprehensive systems of workforce development. With information about the needs and resources within their communities, local leaders can be at the forefront of efforts to prepare their workforce for the future.
