The Workforce Intelligence Project
You Are Here:
Older "Kids" Matter Too: More on What Young Professionals Have to Say.
The “Brain Drain” issue in New York State has become a cause celebre and a topic of much debate and discussion. Publications and studies from Cornell University and the Federal Reserve Bank report the State doesn’t have a “brain drain” issue as much as there is a lack of a “brain gain.” Initiatives such as first lady Silda Spitzer’s “I Live New York” are coming to the forefront with possible solutions such as better marketing of upstate communities and venture capital for emerging businesses to create more jobs. There are continuing reports in the media that runaway taxes and the high cost of doing business in the state are the causes of the exodus of young people.
Whatever the reasons or possible solutions, we still have a great deal to learn from the young people themselves. NYSAC has taken a great interest in the “Brain Drain” topic - our elected leaders have told us it’s a very important issue to them and the economic health of their communities. To help illuminate the challenges local elected leaders face, NYSAC has conducted a series of workshops featuring conversations with a number of young people from around upstate. The goal of these workshops was to gain some insights into what’s behind the “Brain Drain” research of late.
In conducting these workshops, we have learned that young professionals have a lot to say and we can learn much from them. I wrote a piece on some lessons learned from young single professionals after our Legislative Conference last year. Since that time, NYSAC has spoken with many more young professionals, including more established individuals and individuals with families. The following are some new insights into how communities can connect with their young professionals:
- It’s a mistake to paint young people with a “broad brush.” Young people right out of college are in a very different place in their lives than young people with families. For example, one young man we spoke with reported that his community was trying to attract young professionals through advertisements showing wonderful recreational activities for families and the excellent school systems. This advertising strategy was a disincentive to this young man since he is single, without children, and intends to stay that way for a while.
Through NYSAC’s conversations with young people, I now believe there are three very distinct sub-groups: 1) Young people who are single and right out of college; 2) Young people who are in their mid-20s, single and a bit more established in their jobs and communities; 3) Young people with families of their own. It’s important for communities to recognize what motivates each of these groups is very different and when reaching out to young people, you’ll need a different strategy for each group.
- It all starts with the jobs, the most important thing to us, and the options for career advancement. This is the top priority issue each sub-group has in common. All young people we have spoken with want access to information about available jobs in their communities and all are surprised when told the outlook for jobs is not that bleak. A recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank shows modest job growth overall in upstate New York and we do know that many more jobs will be available in the future because of Baby Boom retirement and increased skill demands. What’s missing still is an easy to access, centralized job bank which lists all the jobs in a community and their requirements. The way young people we spoke with look for jobs is through the internet or word of mouth.
- We’re always connected through technology, we use it much more and very differently than you would think. It’s time to revise your thinking on technology; web sites and e-mail are still important, but are not always the best ways to keep in touch with young people. Think more in terms of text messaging, blogging, “You Tube,” “MySpace” and “Face Book” or whatever technology comes next. Some of the advice given by our young panelists includes things like text messaging of community events and services. Also keeping in mind they are more likely to read newspapers on-line so make sure your web site is up to date and relevant to young professionals. For an example of a regional web site designed to attract young professionals to the Southern Tier, check the Pipeline4Progress site at www.p4pnetwork.org. This site combines several of the technologies listed above plus job listings for the region. It is a good example of what would appeal to young professionals.
- The urging to “Follow your Dream” was not necessarily good advice. The young professionals we spoke with wish someone had spoken to them about career and job opportunities, the real educational requirements, and how much they would have to make to pay back their student loans. Several individuals we spoke with graduated college with degrees which were not marketable in their own communities. To remain upstate, they had to rely on other skills they possessed. For example, one young woman graduated with a degree in Social Work. Although she was able to find jobs, she couldn’t make enough money to repay her student loans and have a life. She was able to find work as an Information Technology Specialist. Fortunately, she had the skills to do this work.
These are the overarching issues, of course there were many more insights the audience heard from these bright and enthusiastic panelists. Once again, I would encourage all county leaders to speak with young professionals in your communities and really listen to what they have to say. (Try not to beat them up in the process.) They may surprise you with their perceptions and their ideas of what you can do to keep them in your community and to attract their peers. All of our panelists were thrilled that the audiences was interested in what they had to say.