You know the cliché about millennials moving back home with mom and dad after college?
Well, whether today’s young professionals have always called Wisconsin home, or just adopted the Badger State while attending college here, a concerted effort is being made to show them that staying right here isn’t such a bad thing after all.
For the second year, Madison will host YPWeek (Young Professionals Week), April 23–30, to showcase all the reasons why young professionals should commit to making Dane County and Wisconsin their home.
Madison’s YPWeek builds off Milwaukee’s own successful YPWeek. Originally launched by NEWaukee, a Milwaukee-area young professionals group, the event went statewide for the first time last year, featuring events in Madison, Green Bay, the Fox Cities, Kenosha, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, and Wausau.
Madison is one of 15 communities statewide participating in YPWeek this year. In last year’s inaugural statewide YPWeek, more than 100 events gave over 10,000 attendees an opportunity to take part in activities geared toward young professionals, and they spread throughout the state. This year more than 150 events are planned statewide, with 30-plus right here in Madison, and attendance is expected to grow.
“Millennials make up the largest share of the population and labor force; this is true for both Wisconsin and the nation,” notes Bob Pope, research analyst and YPWeek Madison event planning committee member for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC). “We are competing to acquire this demographic, and Madison’s success in attracting and retaining talent will give a competitive edge for key emerging economic driver industries.”
According to Erin Ladwig, vice president of CONNECT Madison, several new area events are on the docket this year, including:
- A Rise & Grind workout every morning. “We want to keep our Wisconsin YP’s healthy, so we are providing an array of morning workouts including biking, boot camp, yoga, group exercise, and closing out the week with a YPWeek Crazylegs team,” Ladwig says.
- Madison Speaker Crawl. Located at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), this free event will be held a few days before Design MMoCA so attendees will get an exclusive sneak peek of the exhibit before anyone else. Three separate 20-minute speaking sessions will be offered to attendees in the following categories:
- Young professionals who stayed in Madison or moved to Madison to find great success here even though they had the option to go anywhere else
- Area employers who benefit from the strong young professional presence in Madison — employers who can speak to why it benefits their efforts to remain here
- Individuals who can speak to the quality of life right here in Madison
- YPWeek’s Zoo Takeover. Madison will be closing out the statewide YPWeek with live music on two stages, buskers scattered throughout the grounds, several food carts, drinks, entertainment, and, of course, networking. “Even if you are coming alone, you will make new connections with our train ride business card pairing and carousel rides,” notes Ladwig. Tickets will be $15 in advance and $20 at the door. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Henry Vilas Zoo.
A complete list of Madison area YPWeek events can be found at www.ypweek.com/communities/madison.
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The way to a young professional’s heart
It should come as no surprise that “mom’s” home cooking is being showcased as a prime reason for young professionals to stay close to the nest.
One of the largest Madison-area attractions during YPWeek, the second annual Connect Socially, Eat Locally, presented by REAP Food Group, a local food nonprofit, and CONNECT Madison, a young professionals organization, will bring together Madison’s local food and drink scene with its driven young professionals on Friday, April 29, from 6–9 p.m. at the Madison Children’s Museum.
Access to local food is especially important to young professionals, who will work and grow in cities that offer a robust food and beverage scene, says Ladwig.
“We feel that this event is a centerpiece for YPWeek because it is the ultimate culmination of our four goals: professional development, community service, quality of life, and networking,” Ladwig explains. “By providing events like this in Madison, and in the state as a whole, we feel that young professionals will seek out Wisconsin as a destination to start and grow their careers. I know it worked for me!”
Connect Socially, Eat Locally will highlight the food, drink, fun, and community that make Madison such unique place to grow a career or business. For more on the event, visit www.ypweek.com/events/connect-socially-eat-locally.
Connecting with the young professionals of today — and tomorrow
For employers looking to woo young professionals, understanding just who they are is the key to attracting and retaining them.
Tania Ibarra, president of the Latino Professionals Association in Madison, points to a Pew Research Center study showing millennials are the most racially diverse generation in American History. “A whooping 43% of millennials are non-white,” she says. “Millennials are considered a transitional generation. Latinos demographics reflect this transition. A Latino’s median age, according to the Pew Research Center is 29 years, compared to 43 years for non-Hispanic whites.”
That’s a lot of young Latino consumers and workers that businesses need to find ways to attract.
“In economic terms, 43% of consumers and potential employees are non-whites,” notes Ibarra. “With an increasing shortage of talent, it is crucial for the vitality of the region to attract millennials holistically. The economic viability of the region will be determined by its ability to attract talent that will replace an aging workforce, drive innovation, and make this region competitive in the global economy.”
To that end, Ibarra says the importance of the Latino community to the region can be summarized in one word: growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Latino population is the only source of growth for the workforce — projected at 2.5% from 2012 through 2022. Without an ability to attract Latinos to the region, there is risk of stagnation driven by the lack of talent.
Ibarra notes it’s important for an organization like the Latino Professionals Association to join the efforts of YPWeek in exploring the city and ensuring that the experiences, interests, and voices of its members are included, represented, and reflected. “We have a responsibility to use this opportunity to connect the statistics to the stories of our members and demonstrate that the millennial community includes talented Latinos who are contributing to the economy and community.”
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