What Is Diversity?
Construct of Culture (139.245 Kb)
Diagram from Workforce America! Managing Employee Diversity As A Vital Resource by M. Loden and J. Rosenthal, 1991. Burn Ridge, Illinois: Irwin, p. 20.
Diversity refers to human differences, both in individual and in groups, as race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, disability, age, nationality, end ethnicity, cultural values as well as other identifying features. The attached diagram "Construct of Culture" presents most common diversity variables. Diversity is central to education atWashingtonState public institutions of post-secondary learning.
Why Is Diversity Important for College Professional Technical Programs?
As we enter the 21st century, workforce diversity has become an essential concern. It is clear that companies that diversify their workforces will have a distinct competitive advantage over those that do not. ManyWashingtonState agencies and companies are committed to a workforce that reflects the state's diversity in culture, race, ethnicity and gender. Increasingly diverse college student population in our state reflects both the national and regional demographic tendencies including:
Serious demographic change in WA state:
oIn 2007, Latinos constitutes 9% of the State Washington population. By 2030, this number is projected to double.
oAsians are the fastest growing group of the national workforce.
Community and technical college student population base is becoming increasingly more diverse, and this process will continue according to the data presented in the attached chart"Projected Growth in Minority School-Age Population, 2000-2030" (Office of Financial Management, US Census Bureau 2000).
In today's global workplace, business is constantly changing:
oCompanies need to adapt to different client and customer base in community workforce areas.
oCompanies acquire, merge, or partner with other firms to promote business internationally.
oThe workforce has become progressively more diverse.
oEmployees are expected to relocate – often to destinations halfway around the world.
oState and federal funds dictate programs be inclusive, diversifies, and welcoming.
What Are the Benefits of Introducing Diversity into the Classroom Setting?
Students from different backgrounds educate each other in the classroom and in many informal settings. They challenge one another’s assumptions, broaden one another’s experiences, and teach one another to see the world from diverse perspectives.
In order to live, learn and work in a diverse state and global society and to succeed in a technology-driven knowledge-based economy, students need to understand how they, their community, region, and nation both influence and being influenced by people, businesses, non-governmental organizations, regional allowances, global organizations, and evens around the world. You can integrate information on diversity and global interconnectedness into the curriculum through issues that link students’ local communities to the larger world.
Diagram from Workforce America! Managing Employee Diversity as A Vital Resource by M. Loden and J. Rosenthal, 1991. Burn Ridge, Illinois: Irwin, p. 20.