Giving Compass' Take:

• Journalist Soledad O' Brien implores companies to start diversifying their workforce by connecting graduating students to the right opportunities, especially students of color. 

• How can companies be an essential part of decreasing the dropout rate of students? What types of partnerships are available to both schools and businesses?

• Read about one tech company's journey in diversifying it's workforce. 

A college degree can make a huge difference in earnings over the course of a career. A 2017 Pew Study found the median wage gap between workers with only a high school diploma and those who graduated from college was $17,000 annually. And without a college degree, the chances of living in poverty or being unemployed are significantly higher.

Many companies recognize that even if the White House doesn’t value diversity, they have to, because this is the face of the changing workplace.

While high school dropout rates have been improving, the National Center for Educational Statistics put the total at 5.9% in 2015. The rate is even higher for black and Latinx students–6.5% and 9.2%, respectively.

Emmy- and Peabody Award–winning journalist Soledad O’Brien is passionate about the issue, and how educational disparities impact the nation’s workforce. She believes that companies on a mission to diversify their ranks need to step up their efforts earlier to help improve the chances that more young people of color will finish high school and go on to college.

Read the full article about workplace diversity by Lydia Dishman at Fast Company