The Millennial Generation will be changing the face of Cleveland soon. These tech-savvy & socially connected workers, widely considered as those born after 1980, are more diverse than any previous generation, are twice the size of the Baby Boom and three times the size of Gen X. They are highly educated and reshaping cities with their preferences as they are choosing to move to cities to work for companies in places that are walkable, have great public transportation and offer all sorts of outdoor recreational opportunities.
As more of the recruits we work with fall into this demographic, Executive Arrangements has adapted and reshaped our Discover Cleveland & Discover Akron orientations so that they can meet the needs of Millennials considering a job in our region. Historically, many 20somethings think of midwestern towns like Cleveland or Akron/Canton as cities that work for the “married with children in the suburbs” demographic, but we have shifted the conversation so they see NE Ohio as a good fit for YP’s. The Brookings Institute says that cities that have Innovation Districts will win the sought after highly educated workers for the next 10 years. These districts have anchors (like downtown’s Global Center for Health Innovation & CSU and the museums, hospitals and CWRU in University Circle). These Innovation Districts provide 24/7 vibrancy that comes with mixed use buildings that provide not only apartments and townhomes, but retail and restaurants and easy access to free time activities such as: The TowPath Trail, co-ed beach volleyball leagues, dozens of YP groups that support the arts or civic causes, places to socialize, eat, drink and watch pro sports, rowing teams, etc.
EA can provide all of this educational information to your recruit so if they are considering a job offer elsewhere, we can help level the playing field and they can see our region as affordable, accessible and vibrant. We can show them how our region was an early adapter of tactical urbanism including pop up parties, use of public art to create a sense of neighborhood, food trucks for mobile gatherings. And since Millenials have never been without their mobile devices, they are attracted to the fact that Cleveland is the first city in the country with a 100 gig fiber network spanning from University Circle to Playhouse Square making us one of the fastest connected cities in the US.
Not only does Cleveland’s RTA have multiple free trolley routes, direct access to the airport from downtown, University Circle and Shaker Heights allowing Millenials leave the car in the garage, but our city ranks 15th in affordable cities according to Forbes. And in urban neighborhoods like Ohio City, Tremont, Detroit Shoreway and University Circle, the majority of the population consists of 1-2 person households and as a result, they offer all of the conveniences and services that population demands, like nearby health clubs, spinning classes, happy hours, farmer’s markets, locally owned shops and restaurants and green space for public gatherings.
For more info on how Millenials are reshaping US cities:
Top Ten Global Trends Affecting Downtowns
15 Economic Facts About Millennials
It’s Time to Stop Ignoring Millennials
And to learn more about how Executive Arrangements can help your organization to attract not only Millennials, but any out of town talent, call us at 216.231.9311. We have 35 years of experience in matching recruits and new hires interests to NE Ohio.
