Unlike African Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans, Latinos are still underrepresented in the federal workforce, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Despite the government's efforts, Latino representation in the federal workforce rose just two-tenths of a percentage point from 2005 to 2006.

Historically, minorities have found federal employment a road to opportunity. The proportions of African Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans working for the government all equal or exceed the corresponding percentages in the civilian workforce.

Latinos, on the other hand, make up 7.6% of the federal workforce, compared with 12.8% of the civilian labor force. But Latinos have made significant gains in federal internship programs at the agencies where they are most underrepresented. Because internships tend to increase the likelihood of a job offer, an increase in the number of Latino employees might be expected -- though it doesn't seem to be working that way.

The Office of Personnel Management estimates that 40% of the nearly 1.6 million federal employees will retire in the next decade and that 60% of federal employees will be eligible for retirement. Who will fill all those vacancies?