Welcoming Newcomers

[detshen]

It's cool that Detroit made number 9, but I wonder how many people will come to sites like this and read how everyone thinks MI sucks and Detroit is nothing but a junk pile. It's frustrating, this is a great state and Detroit has a lot to offer if people would give it a chance.

[suydam]

This speaks to the myth of the "brain drain" where our kids are educated and then leave Michigan behind in huge numbers.

It's not happening worse here than anywhere else. It's just what 23 year-olds do after college.

From 2000-2004 more people with degrees moved into Michigan than left. (Source: Kenneth Darga, state demographer's testimony to Lansing)

A spin-blogger (MiLife MiTimes) posted some more stuff about the myth of the brain drain. That #9 ranking as a friendly city for grads helps to turn the tide of public perception.

[nycjefftrain]

Originally Posted by suydam

This speaks to the myth of the "brain drain" where our kids are educated and then leave Michigan behind in huge numbers.

It's not happening worse here than anywhere else. It's just what 23 year-olds do after college.

From 2000-2004 more people with degrees moved into Michigan than left. (Source: Kenneth Darga, state demographer's testimony to Lansing)

A spin-blogger (MiLife MiTimes) posted some more stuff about the myth of the brain drain. That #9 ranking as a friendly city for grads helps to turn the tide of public perception.

I've heard it referred to as "addition by subtraction"

[Cato the Elder]

Part of the issue is that MI universities are TOO good. So for one, you get more out-of-staters than most state universities. These out-of-staters are prone to return home. Entry level jobs are also harder to come by since MI is an established state. This combination results in a skewed ratio of quality students to quality jobs than in most states.

On the flipside, you have states like AZ, NV, and FL where the universities are relatively mediocre but they have tons of entry-level jobs. This makes it easy for MI grads, especially from U of M and MSU, to break into these states. Heck, with a U of M degree and a good GPA, you can break into just about any market - CA, Chicago, NY, etc.

[detshen]

Originally Posted by Cato the Elder

Part of the issue is that MI universities are TOO good. So for one, you get more out-of-staters than most state universities. These out-of-staters are prone to return home. Entry level jobs are also harder to come by since MI is an established state. This combination results in a skewed ratio of quality students to quality jobs than in most states.

On the flipside, you have states like AZ, NV, and FL where the universities are relatively mediocre but they have tons of entry-level jobs. This makes it easy for MI grads, especially from U of M and MSU, to break into these states. Heck, with a U of M degree and a good GPA, you can break into just about any market - CA, Chicago, NY, etc.

That's very true, I worked with quite a few Michigan grads in California. Like me, many of them started wanting to come home after they finish the "party 20s" when you want to be in cool city. If Detroit can become a "cool city" a lot more grads would want to stick around and spend their 20s here.

[WNYGAL]

You took the words out of my mouth!! I just moved here and I can't believe the negative comments I get. So far, MI seems like a beautiful area with warm friendly people, but they don't seem to have any hometown pride. As a newcomer, this lack of love for the hometown makes me very nervous... When you talk down your area you are not making people want to buy those houses you can't seem to sell.

[detshen]

Has it always been like this, or is the negativity a recent development? I can't remember what it was like before I left. I wish people would realize they are making things worse. I often hear people say they are just being realistic, but they tend to go way past realistic in the negativity.