Lifestyle, Not Jobs, Top Draw for Talent

Lifestyle, not jobs, top draw for talent
Area leaders work to attract, keep young professionals
BY KEVIN HARTER
Pioneer Press - Thursday, September 21, 2006

Keeping the best and the brightest in western Wisconsin, and attracting other top young talent, will require more than decent jobs and pay, a Madison-based marketing consultant told a gathering of region leaders Wednesday.

About 300 people — including educators, merchants, civic and elected officials — took part in the annual Synergy Conference at the University of Wisconsin-Stout to hear how the region can appeal to what the late famed management guru Peter Drucker called "knowledge workers." Look at lifestyle issues that attract young professionals, they were told. Many are more concerned about where they live than where they work.

"In the 1990s, 90 percent of America’s largest cities lost young talent, and only 10 percent had an in-migration," Rebecca Ryan, founder of Next Generation Consulting, told the conference.

Fewer of those who grow up in rural communities and go off to college seem to be returning home when they graduate. Instead, many are opting for destination cities. Reversing that brain drain will play a big part in attracting new businesses to the region, conference organizers have said.

"The economy has shifted, and the next generation of knowledge workers is different than previous generations," Ryan said. They aren’t look for a gold watch after 30 or 40 years on the job. They are "free agents," who will change jobs many times, she said.

"Our father’s economy — the economy of goods — has been replaced by an innovation economy. And the innovation economy rests on one thing: smart people," she said.

To attract such workers requires companies and communities to offer what appeals to them, what they define as a "cool community," she said. That includes such things as what is there to do after work, continuing education options, diversity.

And vitality, which is one of the pluses of the nine-county Western Wisconsin region. Vitality includes offerings such as clean air and water, parks and recreation. "Bonus points for dog parks," Ryan said. Men and women are waiting longer to get married and also waiting longer to have children, but not pets. "Dog parks are one indicator of a community that attracts and keeps young talent and young families."

The mostly rural nine-county region, which is framed by the Twin Cities to the west and Eau Claire to the east, is home to about 440,000 residents. It has much of what is attractive to 20- to 40-year-olds, including University of Wisconsin system’s four-year campuses in Eau Claire, Menomonie and River Falls, conference organizers noted.

Today, area leaders at the conference will review studies on how to attract young professionals for each of the participating counties. Then, they will make recommendations on handling issues such as affordable health care, economic development, education, quality of life and workforce development.

"We need to think and plan regionally. That is clear," said University of Wisconsin-River Falls Chancellor Don Betz.

State Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, agreed.

"It really puts in perspective what the region needs to look at to keep and attract young people," she said.

Kevin Harter can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 800-950-9080, ext. 2149.