What others think" Businesses must reach out to young people

If Bismarck-Mandan wants its next generation ready in numbers to face the challenges of the future, then it does need to reach out to young people. But it needs to do so by offering challenging positions with responsibility and competitive pay. While it helps having recreational and cultural attractions for young people, the real carrots are jobs in their fields that come with competitive pay based on performance.

It was good to see that the Mayor’s Economic Development Advisory committee devoted its meeting Nov. 25 to issues relating to young adult citizens. They are an important part of the area’s future, just as experienced older workers are critical to the success of business and government in Bismarck-Mandan.

North Dakota Department of Commerce Director Shane Goettle correctly observed that young adults today are highly networked. He said, “Their shared information leads to a lot more entrepreneurship and creativity ... We need them for our work force. We need them to be entrepreneurial.”

The network that connects young people does not stop at the state’s borders. The strands of information that web young blue- and white-collar workers together today span the globe, literally. The state benefits from these connections. When thinking about keeping the state’s young people involved in North Dakota, it would be smart to consider a broad-based idea of the state, one that has a strong digital dimension.

A representative of the Young Professionals Network spoke to the mayors’ group. The development of this organization in Bismarck-Mandan has been a boon for the community. It has a membership of about 250 between the ages of 21 and 39. Bismarck-Mandan has already benefited from its work.

Jerry Haas of the Young Professionals said his group wanted more focus on job retention and creation. He also said they wanted more communication from community leaders (which is what you would expect from someone plugged into a peer network). And, of course, more cultural and entertainment events.

Creating parks and offering an elevated quality of life are issues local government and civic and cultural organizations can handle. When it comes to challenging jobs at competitive pay, that’s part of an evolving economic model in Bismarck-Mandan. Wages and benefits are trending up, so there’s cause for optimism on that front. There are a variety of new business incubators here, and that’s good.

The real key, however, is to have existing businesses and corporations not only reach out to young people, but take a chance on them. That’s a business decision, one with far reaching implications. Fortunately it’s a decision more and more businesses are making.

Tags: youth, economics, jobs, region