CBP Highlights 2011 Workforce Improvements

Washington - In fiscal year 2011, CBP strengthened its workforce by expanding and adding diversity to the ranks. Through diversity recruitment initiatives and promoting inclusion throughout the workforce, the agency strives to value, understand and incorporate the uniqueness each employee brings to the workplace.

In FY 2011, CBP grew its workforce, increasing its total employees to 59,820. CBP also exceeded its hiring goal of 21,370 Border Patrol agents before the end of the fiscal year. The percentage of females in the Border Patrol rose 2.2 percent and military veterans accounted for almost 20 percent of newly hired agents.

Within our workforce, diversity and inclusion remain priorities and important themes that run throughout the agency. CBP experienced growing diversity this fiscal year as more than one in three employees is of Hispanic origin. CBP’s 35 percent Hispanic labor force outpaces the relevant private sector labor force, at 9 percent. As a result of targeted outreach to underrepresented groups and focused recruitment activities, CBP reached a total minority workforce population of 29,013.

CBP remains focused on eliminating barriers that restrict equal employment for all individuals and promoting an environment of cultural appreciation and awareness which supports the diversity and inclusiveness of our workforce. In FY 2011, the agency continued to implement its diversity-driven National Recruitment Strategy that included sponsoring more than 340 U.S. military veteran hiring events, 124 events at minority serving institutions, 90 disability and special emphasis events, and more than 650 other events to increase workplace diversity for underrepresented groups.

Furthering this commitment, the agency created a gateway for veterans who have been wounded while serving in the military to connect with hiring officials for fast-track placement within CBP. As a result of this program, five individuals were placed into permanent positions with CBP.