CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new initiative aims to open more job opportunities to bilingual talent.
The Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte launched Cultivando Talento, or Cultivating Talent, this fall.
The free eight-week program is open to students in high school or college and recent college graduates.
Betsy Ramirez, who is pursuing a master’s in social work at UNC Charlotte, is one of the first 15 participants of Cultivando Talento.
She was born in Mexico and moved to the U.S. at age 2. Ramirez embraces her bilingual skills and wants to use them to help others.
“Being a first-generation [college] student in a Latinx household, I had to find my way by myself and I don’t want others to go through that by themselves,” Ramirez said.
During the two-hour weekly sessions, participants learn about different subjects, including resume building, mental health, networking and financial literacy.
LACCC team success administrator Anthony Valderrama said the program aims to fill a gap some students may have experienced during the pandemic in terms of work experience and soft skills development.
“We decided that this would be the best program for them to get exposure and get their name out there, to practice on their personal pitch, networking and also to develop some soft skills that they weren’t able to do during the pandemic,” Valderrama said.
Ramirez networked through college organizations, but she said the program would allow her to continue her professional development.
“It allows me to learn how to express what I need and it also allows me to have connections,” Ramirez said.
The U.S. Department of Labor projects Hispanics will make up 21% of the workforce in 2030. This statistic paired with North Carolina businesses wanting to hire these workers prompted LACCC to create this program.
“These corporations, our partners, were looking for bilingual talent, and honestly it was shocking to hear, they were nowhere to be found,” Valderrama said.
Ramirez is eager to enter the workforce and have her own nonprofit in the future.
“I want to be placed in a job that I know will benefit the Latinx community or any minority community, for that matter,” Ramirez said.
Participants of Cultivando Talento will receive a one-year membership to the LACCC, which will allow them to attend networking events.
Three other groups of students will participate in this program in the future.
Next year, there will be a scouting session connecting participants and businesses.
For more information on the program or to apply, click here.