Young Professionals in the Roanoke Valley/New River Valley

Yesterday, I met with up with Stuart Mease and he shared some remarkable data with me. While we get thousands & thousands of college/university students from states outside of Virginia, we are having a hard time getting them to stay in the New River Valley/Roanoke Valley after completing their associates, bachelors, masters, or doctoral degrees. On the same hand, we are even losing RV/NRV natives to cities such as Charlotte, Raleigh, Nashville, Atlanta, DC, Baltimore, Norfolk, and Richmond.

Everyone can help in the initiative to "keep the talent local." Economic Development officers, college/university administrators, CEOs, small business owners, Chambers of Commerce, and many other constituents can work together to market/brand/promote New River Valley/Roanoke Valley as the ideal place to work, live, and play. I was sold on it and I am a native New Yorker with 27 years of living in New Jersey and New York, under my belt, before moving to Blacksburg nearly eight years ago.

Technology and Networking....

Job boards are out, social media marketing/recruiting is in. This morning, I appeared on WDBJ7 to talk about the transition from college to the world of work along with my friend & colleague, Ira Kaufman. We are currently in a war for talent with regard to the workforce. Recent college graduates must have realistic expectations with regard to starting salary, job expectations, etc.

Social Media

Every day, we hear, read, or see a news story about social media - whether it is LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, or one of the dozens of others sites - and its' impact on relationships - both personal and professional. These web 2.0 tools have changed the way we work, live, and play. Tomorrow, at the Salem Civic Center, a forum focusing on recession proof social marketing will take place from 8 AM - 10 AM. Please e-mail me at emelnicze@radford.edu if you want more information.

Why don't RU and VT graduates stay in SWVA?

I talk to hundreds of recent graduates of Radford University and Virginia Tech, on a monthly basis, and it seems that so many of them want to move from Radford or Blacksburg right after graduation. I moved to Blacksburg, VA in August 2000 to start graduate school at Virginia Tech. For 27 years, I had lived in either New York or New Jersey before moving to Southwestern Virginia. We live in a very ethnocentric culture. I was familiar with paying an arm & a leg for a gallon of gas, a loaf of bread, a car insurance payment, etc.

There is a cost of living difference between living in New York City and living in Blacksburg. For example, a yearly salary of $90,000 in New York City is equal to $39,760.27 in Roanoke! If you move from New York City to Roanoke, groceries will cost 35.957% less, housing will cost 77.359% less, utilities will cost 44.736% less, transportation will cost 19.065% less, and healthcare will cost 26.298% less. Young professionals, in their 20s, are attracted to cities/regions with thousands and thousands of young professionals. People want to be around people like themselves.

I am curious to hear the views, thoughts, and opinions of graduates of colleges/universities in Southwestern Virginia with regard to this region for opportunities to work, live, and play!