The Way: Rep. Wilde on High Speed Rail, Frazier on PDX v. SEA, Vial on Election Reform and more
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Editor’s Note: Stopping Brain Drain - Time for the Oregon Exit Survey
“Our chief export is our kids.” It’s a sad joke told by the residents of too many Oregon communities. It’s a reality that kids today seem to find greener pastures well beyond our state. Reducing this brain drain is essential to the future of the state.
The export of who could be the next generation of economic and community leaders in Oregon isn’t just a fact in smaller, rural communities. A review of the state’s largest higher education institutions reveals that the vast majority of graduates take their skills to different markets in distant states.
Here’s where UO grads head:
If around 70 percent of Ducks head for metro areas, but only 30 percent end up in Portland, then the UO appears to be doing a great job supplying other states with increased brain power. It’s true that an increasingly large share of Ducks come from out of state to attend the school, but we should still strive to make Oregon their long-term home.
Ducks aren’t the only one using the wings afforded to them by their education to fly away. Beavers also tend to seek out new homes.
You can follow this link and use the tool yourself to see an all too common trend: Oregon-educated individuals leaving for cities and states with more opportunities, which could mean better jobs, lower rents, shorter commutes, or simply other folks who share their values and motives.
Oregon needs an exit survey to figure out why these students opt out of a future in the state. Only by understanding what pulls people to new destinations (and what pushes them away from their adopted or original “home”) can we begin to develop solutions that will increase the odds of retaining our local talent. Post-graduation surveys likely aren’t enough. We’d be better able to act if we knew not just where people headed to, but also why.
Over the past four years of grad school, I’ve always done my best to seek out other students from Oregon or who studied in Oregon. Only a handful have told me they plan on returning. The few that do want to return typically tell me that they’ll only come back when they’re on the tail end of their career.
For Oregon to thrive it must be seen as a place to start and finish a career. More rigorous analysis of why Oregon is seen, optimistically, as a second best option for many of its graduates will result in stronger Oregon communities and a more vibrant economy.
Here’s to a better Oregon,
Kevin
To look forward to:
*NEW CONTRIBUTOR* get ready for future posts from Lakayana Drury. Learn more about him here.
*NEW CONTRIBUTOR* stay tuned for pieces from Kris Nine!
David Frank starts a two-part series on CRT.
Jared Wiener and Taylor Stewart return to the blog with new contributions.
To read:
Rep. Marty Wilde examines how train-based commutes could become a reality along the I-5 corridor — “bullet” trains are not required.
read more here.
Kevin Frazier explores the evolution of Seattle and Portland and wonders why the Rose City seems to have fallen behind its northern neighbor.
read more here.
Rich Vial summarizes an excellent episode of the Oregon Bridge podcast with Katherine Gehl.
read more here.
Kevin Frazier points out that there’s an impending eviction crisis on the horizon. We need a plan to keep folks in their homes — a reactive response is insufficient.
read more here.
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