Addressing the Need

• A 1995 Rand study reported that Hispanic youth represents the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, and Hispanics now account for more than a quarter of all new entrants into the labor force.


• Among Hispanic students, one in three does not complete high school and 9 in 10 do not graduate from a four-year university or college, according to 2003 U.S. Census Bureau data.


• According to the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, Latinos hold just 2% of board seats and only 1% of executive offices among the Fortune 1000 companies, and more than 900 have no Hispanic officers and 35 industries have no Hispanics at all in executive positions.

Education is the Solution

• Someone with a bachelor's degree earns nearly $1 million more over his or her lifetime than a high school graduate, according to a 2002 US Census Bureau survey.


• Education also has payoffs to society. Over a lifetime, people who have college degrees (and accompanying higher earnings) contribute significantly more to the economy than people who have only high school diplomas.


• In order to address the looming mid-to-upper-management gaps in the workforce as baby boomers retire, corporate America should begin building or expanding its pipeline of Hispanic talent to prepare for the next several decades.

META is helping to prepare the next generation's needs through scholarships, mentoring, and community involvement.