Attracting Young Professionals

[Cheshire Cat]

What are those companies in your view downtown jag and what is keeping them from coming here?  The more clearly we can all understand this issue the more able we will be to deal with it and make necessary changes. 

Would you perhaps agree that a more open government model that welcomes a variety of ethnic backgrounds as well as individuals with differing lifestyles would also draw more people with positive ideas as an avenue towards positive changes?
For instance the many small ethic areas in larger urban centers like Toronto's little China and little Italy.  That sort of thing brings great interest and charm to an area as well as viability.

[thelakelander]

I think you've all made great suggestions; but you don't attract young professionals, you attract companies that bring the jobs that attract young professionals. Get the companies and they will attract the young professionals.

That's the old way of doing things.  The trends have changed.  Today's high skilled worker is just as likely to start their own company in some place that they want to be, than looking to get hired at the local steel mill or home-based fortune 500 company.

Many companies now go where the talent is or where the talent they seek to higher or feed off, desires to live.  Over the last decade or so, many cities have started to invest in enhancing their quality of living, which in turn, tends to attract high skilled and educated entrepreneurs.  Reliable mass transit, mixed-use neighborhoods, walkable communities, well maintained public and recreational spaces, good schools, embracing diversity, personal innovation/creativity, etc. are examples of quality-of-life public investments that are luring the workforce and companies these days.  Being cheap just to lure jobs work better if all you desire locally is low skill, low pay economic development.

[Cheshire Cat]

I would agree Ennis, but does it not then follow that we need serious changes to our leadership?  I am thinking where young professionals can do a lot of good is to put their energy and dollars into changing our outdated, cumbersome and in many ways close minded local political landscape.  Perhaps doing that will provide needed changes in attitudes and policies to help put positive, well planned growth into action and nurture those ideas and budding developments and areas that make a city special.  For starters, this city could use the fee money they get from us for storm water for infrastructure and not paying bills.  This again goes back to the behavior of our elected officials.  Jacksonville's political landscape is long overdue for a change.

[thelakelander]

^I doubt we'll be able to attract many outsiders to want to put up with the political landscape of a community and city that they may have no ties to and one that may not offer them the type of atmosphere they may desire.  Thus, if we want better political leadership, its going to be up to many of us to sacrifice and lead such a movement.

[Cheshire Cat]

I completely agree Ennis.  I have the know how to do much of it but no longer have the physical strength to do the canvassing, etc, but I sure can offer insight and research to help.  We need to begin there and get darn serious about it.

[simms3]

The right political environment and concentration of brewpubs and bars and sushi places is important, no doubt, but so is the actual talent pool.  Some of the coolest, most progressive cities in America still have worse than average economies and unemployment issues, lack of educated talent pool, etc etc.

Jacksonville can be cool, which can only help and parts of Jax are already kinda cool, but the people are still not educated enough to attract most high-level jobs.  What I do, for example, is not even offered in Jax, and I'm just an analyst (though the analysts at my firm are mostly Wharton and Penn grads and what we do is at a higher level than private equity firms/fund syndicators/hedge funds in Jax [are there any?]).

It really almost makes the entirety of the difference by having a world-class university or two or three right at your doorstep.

[Cheshire Cat]

Simms, I hear you but am also thinking that we have enough educated and bright people to get started in a positive direction and what inhibits the city most is an archaic mind set in city hall that makes all levels of getting business done difficult.  If we can change the stodgy, stand in the way methodology and allow positive change to begin, we can start keeping our own graduates in town and hopefully draw from other areas.  We have an excellent location in Jacksonville with a super nice climate.  That alone should begin to draw the right folks if they see the door to opportunity here is open and not being held open just a crack by some backward thinking political landscape.  I do see change on the horizon, but we as a community must make it happen.  I think Shad Khan's investment in our team and community was a positive sign.  He is a smart guy and sees the potential here and also knows it won't happen overnight but will in time.   For ages and ages our city funding has found it's way into the pockets of companies and enterprises that were and are connected to the "good old boy" way of doing business.  As crass as this may sound, many of the good old boys will not be here that much longer, so the young folk along with the young thinkers need to lay the groundwork for a new political landscape.  If not we will see more of a supposed "new face" or "new direction" as the city bought into with Alvin Brown who is just another face of the same old power structure.  Stopping the merry-go-round of old political games will take revelation and education.  Perhaps Jacksonville is ready to face this reality and move away from it to a viable and fair system.

[downtownjag]

I think you've all made great suggestions; but you don't attract young professionals, you attract companies that bring the jobs that attract young professionals. Get the companies and they will attract the young professionals.

That's the old way of doing things.  The trends have changed.  Today's high skilled worker is just as likely to start their own company in some place that they want to be, than looking to get hired at the local steel mill or home-based fortune 500 company.

Many companies now go where the talent is or where the talent they seek to higher or feed off, desires to live.  Over the last decade or so, many cities have started to invest in enhancing their quality of living, which in turn, tends to attract high skilled and educated entrepreneurs.  Reliable mass transit, mixed-use neighborhoods, walkable communities, well maintained public and recreational spaces, good schools, embracing diversity, personal innovation/creativity, etc. are examples of quality-of-life public investments that are luring the workforce and companies these days.  Being cheap just to lure jobs work better if all you desire locally is low skill, low pay economic development.

I see your point; and I think it's a chicken or egg scenario. Arguments can be made for both cases, but I believe you can most directly influence the end result we all desire by offering incentives to the companies that attract the talent. Most of my college friends left after school not because they didn't like Jax; but because the entry level, young professional jobs weren't available here. Many didn't want to leave, but couldn't find work.

[Cheshire Cat]

Downtown, what types of jobs would those be?  Tech, business, that sort of thing?

[downtownjag]

What are those companies in your view downtown jag and what is keeping them from coming here?  The more clearly we can all understand this issue the more able we will be to deal with it and make necessary changes. 

Would you perhaps agree that a more open government model that welcomes a variety of ethnic backgrounds as well as individuals with differing lifestyles would also draw more people with positive ideas as an avenue towards positive changes?
For instance the many small ethic areas in larger urban centers like Toronto's little China and little Italy.  That sort of thing brings great interest and charm to an area as well as viability.

I don't know that I can point to specific companies; but by industry, healthcare, IT, aviation, finance & insurance. I actually believe the city has made major advances lately, especially trimming the incentive approval timeline from 8 weeks to 2. The mayor is very accessible if there's a client that wants to feel loved. I think the perception, although very rapidly changing, that Jax is a tertiary market, has hindered us for years. Again, I feel this is changing very quickly as more and more companies "near-source" in Jax.

I believe the more responsibly progressive we are; the better off we will be; in response to your comments about equality. Thanks for asking!

[thelakelander]

I see your point; and I think it's a chicken or egg scenario. Arguments can be made for both cases, but I believe you can most directly influence the end result we all desire by offering incentives to the companies that attract the talent. Most of my college friends left after school not because they didn't like Jax; but because the entry level, young professional jobs weren't available here. Many didn't want to leave, but couldn't find work.

^But every city plays the incentives game.  Jax can't really get any cheaper than it already is.  Plus, many companies don't go where there isn't already a critical mass of workers with the type of skills they need. At some point, we've got to start factoring in the roll quality of life plays.

[thelakelander]

Downtown, what types of jobs would those be?  Tech, business, that sort of thing?

Downtown? Naturally, all the jobs you can get are good.  However, if you really want something sustainable long term, strive to get things that won't pick up and leave at the drop of a dime.  With that said, utilize downtown's assets for organic economic growth.  Considering the number of medical facilities, healthcare should be at the top of that list.   However, downtown is centrally located, sits at a major railroad and telecommunications junction, and there's a big river flowing through it.  While many focus on white collar job growth, there are possible blue collar opportunities with our logistics and maritime assets.

[downtownjag]

Downtown, what types of jobs would those be?  Tech, business, that sort of thing?

Downtown? Naturally, all the jobs you can get are good.  However, if you really want something sustainable long term, strive to get things that won't pick up and leave at the drop of a dime.  With that said, utilize downtown's assets for organic economic growth.  Considering the number of medical facilities, healthcare should be at the top of that list.   However, downtown is centrally located, sits at a major railroad and telecommunications junction, and there's a big river flowing through it.  While many focus on white collar job growth, there are possible blue collar opportunities with our logistics and maritime assets.

LOL, I think she was addressing me

[Cheshire Cat]

No Stephen I am not.  I have generally left this sort of thing to folks like you here on Metro Jacksonville, but the recent dust up in Avondale got me thinking about the bigger picture and how those same attitudes along with politics and a problematic system at city hall are stifling positive growth.

Heathcare as a target area is a good one and should be pursued.  I also think there is much in the way of blue collar that can bring stability and help grow the white collar sector.

[Cheshire Cat]

I love hearing all the input and believe that going over old ground with fresh eyes and attitudes can lead to rethinking the situations facing the city and hopefully some positive, workable new ideas about growth, drawing young folks and the like.