A new report from the Center for Rural Policy & Development continuing the discussion around the workforce shortage facing Greater Minnesota looks at how the narrative told to rural high school students doesn’t match up with what they want.

“Finding Work or Finding Workers? Changing the Story on Careers for Rural High Schoolers,” part four of the workforce research series, focuses on the views and attitudes of the next generation of workers.

As the demand for workers increases in Greater Minnesota, employers and workforce development organizations are increasingly examining why so many young people leave rural regions after high school despite growing local opportunity.

“For decades there has been this narrative that to get ahead after high school, kids who grew up in rural communities must move away,” said Marnie Werner, vice president of research and operations at the center. “That’s no surprise to rural residents.

“What is surprising is that the research says over and over that most students, given the choice, would rather live in their hometown or nearby. They’re just told they can’t.”

Business owners and economic developers, who have been struggling to find workers and avoid cutting production, have taken notice of the high school narrative that says there are no opportunities for young people in their region. Business and community leaders are forming public/private partnerships to introduce kids to the many careers available and break the old myths about jobs in rural areas.

A large amount of research on the question of who does influence students has been conducted over the years. It appears to come down to a handful of primary influencers:

Personal experience

Immediate family

Formal advisors

Family, and in particular parents, are strong influencers. Despite what parents may think, they have a significant amount of influence over their teenagers’ decisions, especially when it comes to their futures.

“While there are many workforce challenges for our rural communities, employers and rural development agencies, I’m very encouraged by these survey results that show students want to remain in the communities where they were raised,” said Center President and CEO Julie Tesch. “I highly encourage legislators, policy makers and agency officials to study our research and examine the best practices of some very innovative programs developed in Greater Minnesota to try to retain young people in our communities.”

The Center’s board chairman, Steve Wenzel, is a professor at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, and sees the workforce challenges facing Greater Minnesota every day.

“As a professor in Greater Minnesota higher education, I have first-hard experience with the challenges facing our rural communities and employers,” said Wenzel, a Little Falls resident.

“It is our goal at the Center for Rural Policy & Development to share these innovative ideas and programs with policy makers and employers in the hope that they can make the needed changes in programming, education options and the perceptions of our next generation of workers.”

All four parts of the series: “Finding Work or Finding Workers?” from the Center for Rural Policy & Development can be found at the Center for Rural Policy & Development website.