Part 6 of our suggestions to region to better attract and retain the next generation of talented workers. If you would like more from a YP or company perspective, then those are coming in the near future.

Poll high school students to see what it will take for them to stay

We created a survey in a local high school class to ask students what they wanted or needed in order to stay. There exist many examples of intolerance of teenagers through rules and control mechanisms. Certainly these limitations are meant for the good of the young person; however, it also has an unintentional negative effect – lack of tolerance. Students are restricted to what they can do. As a result, they do things they are not suppose to do, and spend more time in online communities that do except them. Ultimately, after they graduate they buy a one–way ticket out of the region.

By creating the poll, getting the students to shape it, and reporting on the results, we can begin to implement items that will demonstrate more tolerance of young people and in turn will hopefully make them view their hometown a little bit differently.

The survey becomes a voice and an interactive mechanism for them to shape local government issues that will benefit their sector of the population and work toward retaining them or persuading them to return after college.