Workforce and economic development initiatives at the state level are nothing new. But faced with a worker shortage, states are now also trying to recruit employees.
The Wall Street Journal reports on efforts by Wisconsin to woo workers from nearby states to fill open jobs.
Say Cheese
Wisconsin is attempting to lure job candidates by touting the low cost of living, short commute times, and quality of life, the Journal reports.
How serious is Wisconsin about attracting out-of-staters?
A $1 million ad campaign, aimed at Chicago Millennials, hopes to persuade them to move to Wisconsin.
Ads in Chicago appear on trains and in health clubs, as well as YouTube, and focus on quality of life and affordability, according to the Journal. “One compares a cramped studio apartment in Chicago to less expensive and more spacious lofts in Milwaukee, about 90 miles to the north,” it notes, while “another shows Chicago residents eating cheap, packaged ramen noodles as opposed to Madison [Wisconsin] residents eating freshly prepared ramen at a trendy restaurant.”
Still another Chicago ad “shows exhausted train riders spending an hour commuting versus a quick drive on a Wisconsin highway.”
Meanwhile, Wisconsin municipalities are also focused on candidate attraction. Cities like Milwaukee and Madison are using social media to pitch Wisconsin living, the Journal reports, and businesses are “partnering with local universities by offering more internships in hopes of convincing young people to stay and work in Wisconsin after they graduate.”
Solving the Employment Equation
The challenges Wisconsin faces are real. An aging population, lower birth rates, fewer immigrants, and people leaving the state combined with record-low unemployment add up to far fewer job applicants.
And Wisconsin isn’t the only state facing these challenges. Vermont has long struggled to keep young people from leaving the state, in an effort to grow its workforce, attract businesses, and fill open jobs. It doesn’t appear to be winning the fight.
The Caledonia Record reports that today Vermont has 4.3 percent fewer workers than it did in 2009. However, it also reports that, in addition to other initiatives, Gov. Phil Scott plans to focus on recruiting working-age families to Vermont.
Similar efforts are underway in other states. A television commercial, aimed at attracting businesses to New York State, speaks to job seekers as well, promoting the many benefits of living and working in New York.
Like neighboring Vermont, New York has been losing members of its workforce. According to the Empire Center, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank located in Albany, the state capital, the population in 46 of the 62 New York counties has declined since 2010.
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Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages. |