Growing Wisconsin Trend
Local data is taken from our 10 years of experience and long-time partnerships in the Outagamie and Waupaca County service areas of Wisconsin. Direct Wisconsin data comes from the sessions of talks and comparing and contrasting data from large organizations that Bridging Language Barriers LLC has partnered with and does annual roundtables with. Routinely, year after year, over the last decade we have continued to see the influx of Spanish speakers. In 2019 to present, as we see war continuing in Russia & Ukraine, we continue to see the rise in number of undocumented residents, refugees and asylum seekers in our great dairy state. Dairy farms continue to employ a lot of Latinos from Central and South America. We recognize that all the data cannot be entirely accurate, however the need for interpreters and translators certainly continues to increase and the job market for interpreters and translators is an industry of great value to our economy locally, state-wide and nationally. (Written By: Jolyne Zaldivar 9/2022)
Wisconsinite Population Growth
Milwaukee, WI… Hispanics/Latinos are the second largest and fastest growing minority racial and ethnic population in Wisconsin.16 As of 2008, this group constituted 5 percent of the population, totaling 285,801 people.17 This population has increased 46.8% since the 2000 Census.18As of 2008, two-thirds of Wisconsin's Hispanic/Latino population was concentrated in Milwaukee, Dane, Racine, Kenosha, and Brown counties.19 However, this population is rapidly growing in other areas of Wisconsin. Milwaukee County is home to 112,931 Hispanics/Latinos, comprising 39.5 percent of Wisconsin's Hispanic/Latino population.20 Wisconsin's Hispanic/Latino population is relatively young, with a median age of 24.8 years in 2008, compared to 38.2 years for the total state population.21 Thirty-nine percent are under age 18, compared to 23 percent of the total state population.22 Also, while 13 percent of Wisconsin's total population was age 65 and older, only 4 percent of the Hispanic/Latino population was 65 and older.23
References: Hispanic/Latinos in Wisconsin: Overview | Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Serving Outagamie County
In 2021, the largest racial or ethnic group in Outagamie County was the white (non-Hispanic) group, which had a population of 165,376. Between 2010 and 2021, the white (non-Hispanic) population had the most growth increasing by 6,837 from 158,539 in 2010 to 165,376 in 2021.
References: Outagamie County, WI population by year, race, & more | USAFacts
Serving Waupaca County
In 2021, the largest racial or ethnic group in Waupaca County was the white (non-Hispanic) group, which had a population of 48,347. Between 2010 and 2021, the Hispanic/Latino population had the most growth increasing by 514 from 1,310 in 2010 to 1,824 in 2021.
References: Waupaca County, WI population by year, race, & more | USAFacts
Interpreting and Translating Needs
Pre Pandemic to Post Pandemic Relevance
COVID-19 has changed the world irrevocably, forcing the translation and interpretation industry to rapidly adopt digital technology and tools to reduce the disruption of day-to-day operations.
About 9,200 openings for interpreters and translators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow 20 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
References: How Covid-19 Affects Interpreters & Translators - Language Magazine
NOTE FROM FOUNDER OF BLB
Oct 2022: Jolyne Zaldivar
The need for interpreters will not go away, as we continue to see the rise of undocumented persons in the United States, the job market for interpreters and translators will only increase. Bridging Language Barries is so grateful to serve those with great needs. We will continue to see clients in person.