Reflecting on Labor Day

As we observe Labor Day, we celebrate the contributions that workers make to the American democratic experiment. From producing our food, clothing, and shelter to caring for our friends, neighbors, and loved ones to transporting us to and from our homes and places of employment, workers are the foundation of our freedoms and quality of life. Fortunately for us, Labor Day provides an opportunity to recommit to our workers, both on this day, and from this day forward. How do we do that in a meaningful way? At OneTen, we have an answer.

The OneTen Coalition is propelled by the ambition to hire, promote and advance one million Black talent who do not yet have baccalaureate degrees into family-sustaining jobs and careers over the next ten years. The key to our success is the establishment and scaling of a skills-first culture throughout employers across our beloved country. A skills-first culture is one in which skills are the dominant factor of success during the entire talent journey: at hiring; evaluation; promotion, etc.

Presently, a credentials-based culture dominates our employer mindset. Approximately 80% of all jobs paying $60,000 or more require an applicant to have a four-year degree to compete for the job. Moreover, more than 70% of jobs paying at least $40,000 require such a degree. These credentials are required irrespective of the skills a candidate brings to the table, skills that might have been obtained via previous work experience or community college training or military service or online boot camps, etc. The failure to take a skills-first approach in the hiring, development, and advancement of our workers literally leaves genius on the sidelines.

Approximately 80% of Black workers aged 25 or older do not yet have a four-year degree. Across all demographics in our workplace, that number is 66%.? Effectively, the credentials-dominated mindset is a systemic barrier to individuals earning their way into the middle class in our country. How un-American! OneTen believes that if we fix this problem for Black talent, given America’s history, we will repair this issue for all demographics. It is indeed, an American dilemma.?

While access to quality jobs is powerful, OneTen understands that jobs alone aren’t enough. Our workers need partnerships with talent development organizations like our great community colleges, nonprofit and for-profit trainers, online boot camps, and others to reskill, upskill, and otherwise enhance their competencies for new and improved opportunities and promotions. Currently, the 70-plus employers in our coalition are partnering with more than 100 talent developers to do this work. Additionally, to thrive and be the best they can be, our workers need dependable, high-quality, and affordable childcare, coaches, and mentors to guide them along their professional journey along with reliable and accessible transportation to travel to and from work on time every time. That’s why we also partner with organizations that work to provide wraparound support services needed to address the unique needs of Black talent in the workforce.

Black workers, and all our workers for that matter, need an ecosystem throughout their entire talent journey. So, let’s honor them by committing to providing these partnerships. America shall be a beacon of excellence as long as Black workers, and all our workers, have what they need to maximize their contributions. We have it within our power to make sure that they do.