If I hear one more time that Southwestern Virginia is losing its kids, losing its youth, losing its brainpower - Im gonna scream.
Todays mention of it comes from Roanoke College, and via WDBJ.
Here's how I see this issue: First off, Roanoke is marketed as a retirees haven. A family-friendly community. It is not marketed as a place to start a life, a place to begin a career.
Also, you have to remember this - familiarity breeds contempt. Look around Roanoke right now, and see all the unskilled, uneducated, young workers. Look in the high schools, you have some amazingly smart kids there. So what happens?
Those smart kids look around and only see low paying, low brain jobs - they see the grass as greener just about anywhere else. Especially hurting it is all the whining about how "theres no place for kids to go" and "theres nothig to do." Rather than be proactive, they are whined into inactivity.
These kids need to see that there is, infact, good reason for them to stay. Which means, things have to change. We need to stop whining and start acting, fix the stupid things that make this city look bad. The reason the "promising talent" leaves here is simple. They see no promise. Actually, for those who have lived here for a while - they have seen too many promises, and not enough results.
"We are actively working to attract big companies, with big jobs, and big vacancies."
I'd like to know how and where, because the only things that I am seeing expand lately are retail outlets, which do not provide big jobs unless your lucky enough to become management.
Not to mention you are moving into a stage now where you, as a young graduate now have to compete with 40, 50, 60somethings who are entering the market for a 2nd or 3rd career. Of course, this is happening everywhere. But Roanoke seems highly succeptable to it.
I mean, why are the middle aged men pushing carts at the supermarket? Thats where you started when I was in High School, and eventually you worked your way into the building stocking shelves or working the register. The morning shift at a supermarket (when I was working there, 12 years ago) was older ladies, but the afternoon and evening shift - those were all high school aged kids - getting some work experience for the first time. And these were not summer jobs either. They were part time, 20-30 hours a week. And you got a paycheck.
Theres much more to say on this matter, but unfortunately - my time is limited today. Tomorrow I will delve deeper into the subject.
Let me know if there is anything you think I should touch on, or if you disagree. Thats why I have the little comment thingy.
Todays mention of it comes from Roanoke College, and via WDBJ.
Here's how I see this issue: First off, Roanoke is marketed as a retirees haven. A family-friendly community. It is not marketed as a place to start a life, a place to begin a career.
Also, you have to remember this - familiarity breeds contempt. Look around Roanoke right now, and see all the unskilled, uneducated, young workers. Look in the high schools, you have some amazingly smart kids there. So what happens?
Those smart kids look around and only see low paying, low brain jobs - they see the grass as greener just about anywhere else. Especially hurting it is all the whining about how "theres no place for kids to go" and "theres nothig to do." Rather than be proactive, they are whined into inactivity.
These kids need to see that there is, infact, good reason for them to stay. Which means, things have to change. We need to stop whining and start acting, fix the stupid things that make this city look bad. The reason the "promising talent" leaves here is simple. They see no promise. Actually, for those who have lived here for a while - they have seen too many promises, and not enough results.
"We are actively working to attract big companies, with big jobs, and big vacancies."
I'd like to know how and where, because the only things that I am seeing expand lately are retail outlets, which do not provide big jobs unless your lucky enough to become management.
Not to mention you are moving into a stage now where you, as a young graduate now have to compete with 40, 50, 60somethings who are entering the market for a 2nd or 3rd career. Of course, this is happening everywhere. But Roanoke seems highly succeptable to it.
I mean, why are the middle aged men pushing carts at the supermarket? Thats where you started when I was in High School, and eventually you worked your way into the building stocking shelves or working the register. The morning shift at a supermarket (when I was working there, 12 years ago) was older ladies, but the afternoon and evening shift - those were all high school aged kids - getting some work experience for the first time. And these were not summer jobs either. They were part time, 20-30 hours a week. And you got a paycheck.
Theres much more to say on this matter, but unfortunately - my time is limited today. Tomorrow I will delve deeper into the subject.
Let me know if there is anything you think I should touch on, or if you disagree. Thats why I have the little comment thingy.
1 comment:
The irony in my household is that I left an extremely well paying job in the big city to bring my family here so I could raise them in a "better" enviroment. Now, both my kids are counting down the days when they can leave so they can head to the big city.
I know you don't agree with me on this but I will say it again...larger companies will not come here because there aren't enough direct flights. The airport needs to have longer runways. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
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