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Young professionals key to Columbia’s future, says study |
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Wednesday, 01 July 2009 |
Staff Report
COLUMBIA -- The Columbia area needs to better focus its efforts on attracting and engaging young leaders, according to a new report.
A study by the Columbia Talent Magnet Project lists five goals for the community to energize the local economy:
• Create a unified vision of making the area a more attractive place to live and work.
• Develop a cadre of young leaders.
• Connect undergraduates and recent graduates to the community, so they will be more likely to put their degree to work locally.
• Communicate effectively about the opportunities in the Midlands, especially with targeted messages to young professionals.
• Make sure that the area is open to entrepreneurship. A survey of young professionals found that many thought that the region is not as hospitable to new projects as it could be.
The Magnet team hopes to spark the Columbia area into launching numerous projects to better attract and retain young talent. It intends to launch several, including a Midlands young professionals organizations alliance, a region-wide entrepreneurs network and a pilot regional internship program.
The report, “A Road Map To A Talent-Powered Economy: Attracting the Best and Brightest to Columbia,” was released by the Magnet Project and the Southern Growth Policies Board on Monday. The Columbia Talent Magnet Project’s partners include Navigating from Good to Great and the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, EngenuitySC, New Carolina, Columbia Opportunity Resource and the Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. The project is managed by EngenuitySC.
"As cities across the country struggle to attract the young talent they need to be competitive, the collaborative effort of Columbia has the potential to be a national model. It is wonderful to see so many organizations and people working together to improve their community,” said Ted Abernathy, executive director of the Southern Growth Policies Board, in a statement.
Published July 1, 2009
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