Diversity and Human Capital

Brandi Woods
Excelsior College

Construction
Industry:
It is mandatory for
construction firms
to have a 20%
participation of
minorities, women
or disadvantaged
owned businesses
and or employees.
For construction
contracts, the
minimum threshold
was $100,000 in
2010.

2010 M/WBE NYS Construction Industry

(Empire State Development, 2010)

3%

5%
2%
0%

10%
6%
56%
17%

African-American
Hispanic
Asian
Native American
MBE
Nonminority Female
M/WBE
Non-M/WBE

Apprenticeship Programs
Map low-income neighborhoods geographically,
more likely to be African Americans and Latino.
Contact high schools for eligible students.
Offer them summer jobs where they can learn new
skills.
Assistance with college tuition when they graduate
if they enter an engineering program.

Apprenticeship Program
Contact college engineering programs offer current
students internships.
Assistance with college tuition scholarships, grants
and repayment of loans

Diversity in the Workplace

Women and minorities face discrimination.
Sexual Harassment is the unwanted sexual
attention that creates and adverse or hostile work
environment. (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013, p. 35)
Managing diversity is a delicate, potentially
unpredictable topic and managers need training to
do so.
Both women and minorities face a glass ceiling.

New York Citys Success

Since its founding in 2001, Construction Skills has placed 1,443 graduates into union
apprenticeship programs.

Construction Skills successfully targets minority youth and places them in middle class
construction jobs, where the average salary is $67,110.

High school students that enter the Construction Skills program have a 75 percent
completion rate.

82 percent of Construction Skills graduates are placed in union apprenticeship

programs.

Construction Skills graduates have an 80 percent retention rate as union apprentices

or journey workers, a remarkable figure considering the low retention rate of
apprentices nationwide.

Almost 90 percent of the Construction Skills graduates are black, Hispanic or Asian.

Construction Skills participants live in New York City, representing all five boroughs,
including 33 percent from Brooklyn, 28 percent from the Bronx, 23 percent from
Queens, 10 percent from Manhattan and 6 percent from Staten Island.

To Combat Discrimination In The Workplace

Respect cultural and racial differences in the workplace.

Be professional in conduct and speech.

Refuse to initiate, participate, or condone discrimination and harassment.

Avoid race-based or culturally offensive humor or pranks. When in doubt, leave it

outside the workplace.

Familiarize yourself with the companys workplace policies and act responsibly.

Attend training on EEO principles and learn about your legal rights and responsibilities
under the anti-discrimination laws. Also visit www.eeoc.gov for information on
discrimination and harassment.

Be pro-active. Report incidents of inappropriate, discriminatory, harassing or abusive

behavior to your supervisor, Human Resources department, union, or management.

If you experience or witness discrimination or harassment contact EEOC or your local

human rights commission.

Reference:

Best Practices and Tips for Employees. (2014). RetrievedNovember23, 2014, from
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/initiatives/e-race/bestpractices-employees.cfm

Columbia School of International and Public Affairs. (2014, March 25). Study:
Innovative Pre-Apprenticeship Program for Minority Youth Deserves Expansion |
Columbia | SIPA. Retrieved from https://sipa.columbia.edu/newscenter/article/study-innovative-pre-apprenticeship-program-for-minority-youthdeserves-expansion

Empire State Development. (2010, May 5). Minority and women business
development reports. RetrievedNovember23, 2014, from
http://esd.ny.gov/MWBE/Data/NERA_NYS_Disparity_Study_Final_NEW.pdf

Kreitner, R., & Kinicki, A. (2013). Organizational behavior. New York, NY: McGrawHill/Irwin

NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. (2014, August). M/WBE Goals &

Reporting Responsibilities - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved
from http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/48854.html