[happeemommee]

Thanks dalgal, I appreciate your input and you sharing your experience. We want to move up there for some of the same reasons you listed. I know it wouldn't be easy, but nothing ever is. We are going to do this right, with a lot of thought, effort and research,so I'm sure we willmake the right decision.

Thanks!

[MTK1]

To support my earlier post about VT having the highest college tuition in the country.

Vt. Still Has Highest College Tuition Rates in Nation

Burlington, Vermont - October 30, 2008 A new report confirms what a lot of students already know: Vermont is an expensive state for college.

According to the College Board, Vermont's average in-state tuition at a four-year public school is $11,341. That is up 8.1 percent from the year before. New Jersey is second highest with an average tuition of $10,739

.WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Vt. Still Has Highest College Tuition Rates in Nation

[flu189]

Originally Posted by MTK1

To support my earlier post about VT having the highest college tuition in the country.

Vt. Still Has Highest College Tuition Rates in Nation

Burlington, Vermont - October 30, 2008 A new report confirms what a lot of students already know: Vermont is an expensive state for college.

According to the College Board, Vermont's average in-state tuition at a four-year public school is $11,341. That is up 8.1 percent from the year before. New Jersey is second highest with an average tuition of $10,739

.WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Vt. Still Has Highest College Tuition Rates in Nation

This is not news, it is an absolute reality like the fact that the sun will rise tomorrow, and has been for quite some time. We also in Vermont are number one in the cost of community college tuition and fees which really puts the screws to people trying to either get advancement at their present jobs or develop skills to get into a line of work. It does not surprise me, education in Vermont is a major cash cow racket, and please don't let people fool you by telling you that the extra cost we pay here buys you the equivalent in academic standing and excellence. Everybody in my family has graduated college to include graduate work and Vermont's rates to what you receive is priced at "boutique" rates. There are excellent academic opportunities here, but I think it's about time that before we continue to scream about other business and industry expenses and profits we had perhaps better look at why in the heck the education industry continues to far exceed annual cost increases in comparison to any other entity such as health care, housing, defense, etc.

[goatwoodward]

Originally Posted by mustmove

[SIZE=2]Those companies say a significant issue is finding qualified people in technical fields like computer science and software,
[/SIZE][SIZE=2]"Burlington consistently scores very highly as a great place to work and live. And good for attracting high-quality candidates."

So which is it? More smoke note that last year 1,800 people showed looking for work. I want to live where no one shows up at job fairs because everyone is gainfully employed.
[/SIZE]

My boyfriend works at one of those companies that is having trouble finding people. Yes, there are plenty of educated people, but not as many who are in highly technical fields. So yes, you have a degree, that's great, but it doesn't mean you know advanced SQL. They've actually gotten a ton of applications for the jobs they have open, but most of the people they attract are either 1. totally underqualified or 2. have had their pick of the jobs, so they think they should be "management," even when this company will pay them more than their last tech management job to do the actual work with no one under them (it's quite a flat organizational structure, so only a couple people are supervisors).

They want to support the local economy by hiring locally, but with the lack of candidates, they're thinking about recruiting from out of state - anyone know SQL and want to move here and have a secure, well-paid job? I can try to get you a phone interview.

[vter]

Goatwoodward - your BF has the same experience as my other half's - they have job openings, good, high paying job openings, but the a lot of the applicants they get, while have college degrees, don't have the highly advanced language (computer) skills that are required for these posititions. His company ends up usually hiring contractors from out of state. Those of his co-workers that are local folks have come out of the computer engineering programs at UVM and Champlain, but the majority of his co-workers are either contractors or moved here from elsewhere.

[mustmove]

If VT employers want folks with city skills then they need to pay city wages. I know of a large VT employer that was looking for a specific set of computer skills and was willing to pay 40-50K didn't really want to pay 50k. And I know of a company hiring for the exact same skill set in Hartford CT for 140K. Hmm live in Burlington for 45K a year and a couple of free ski passes or live in Hartford and be able to afford to buy ski passes and ski in VT,NH,ME,CO etc. Wonder where the COL is lower? Plenty of green space in that area of CT. VT is a short drive away. VT has slipped so far that it is a losing proposition to live here for just about everyone.

[vter]

The jobs I'm talking about pay considerably more than $45-50K. The company my other half works for pays competitively in order to obtain and keep workers with the skill sets that they want.

[mustmove]

If VT companies are paying competitive wages then they shouldn't have any trouble recruiting employees.

[vter]

In the case I'm talking about...they are having trouble finding employees that are local (because lack of the skills they are looking for). They hire people, mostly contractors or people who come come from out of state.
OH...and no free ski passes involved. That would be nice though!