I had never been in a business meeting where the participants drank beer. But I guessed if the participants are young and creative, ideas are the intended outcome -- and the meeting was to be held at the Milwaukee Ale House -- then it's okay. This was the case at a meeting I attended earlier this month. The discussion centered on Milwaukee's young, educated population and ways to attract more of this desirable demographic to Brew City.
The meeting was set up by the Milwaukee Department of City Development (DCD) and was held before an eInnovate networking function. The thought was that Milwaukee needs a larger, more educated workforce before new high-tech companies will locate here.
In addition to increased jobs and a larger city tax base, there are other advantages to having a younger, hipper set of people in town. For example, young people love to be entertained and would happily spend a good portion of their salaries on leisure activities.
And as the old adage goes, when there's money to be made, someone will find a way to make it. The increased numbers of young professionals in town looking for a good time would inevitably lead to more clubs, restaurants and cafes catering to their tastes. The best part is that this form of economic development would come around full circle, since these are exactly the types of things younger professionals look for when evaluating potential cities to start or expand their career.
After some small talk and introductions, the meeting was in full swing. By the time my glass of beer was half gone the ideas started to flow and I was in the middle of a lively discussion.
Topics such as recruiting young Chicago professionals to live here were discussed, and other talk centered on promoting Milwaukee's benefits, like less traffic, developments, sports teams, the lakefront and the general livability of the city. A few members of the group suggested marketing to the city's residents, much like a previous campaign by the Greater Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau.
One member of the group suggested killing two birds with one stone by inviting some Chicagoans up for a party, but also inviting local college students and recent grads. This way both groups could be wowed by potential employers present, touting Milwaukee's charms.
Most of the participants in the group were in their 20s and 30s, and most were native of other cities. One man, an engineer from Shorewood, felt the city should concentrate on bringing back Wisconsin grads that left the state for other opportunities.
Wisconsin experiences a huge "brain drain" as our college graduates seek opportunities in larger cities like Minneapolis and Chicago.
As I nursed my beer down, the meeting came to a close. The city's representatives declared our group a "think tank" for this project, and expressed a desire to share ideas with us in the future.
Along with the Shorewood engineer, I headed to the eInnovate event and networked with technology professionals. As we chatted, I couldn't help but think that the city was on the right track, and that groups like this could lead the way to a new Milwaukee: one that has a cooler, hipper image, more high-tech companies and more educated, technology-savvy employees. The fact is that the city seems to be on its way.
Efforts to get younger professionals to move to Milwaukee can be advantageous to the whole community. The more young talent in the city, the more companies and jobs there will be, not to mention trendy cafes, restaurants and clubs. And these young professionals will become the next CEO's, entrepreneurs and community leaders. To accomplish this we all need to think of creative ways to recruit new workers to the city and keep our homegrown talent from fleeing.
For more on how you can get involved, click here onmilwaukee.com/articles/ypm.html
