TIME.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME.
>> Zac: A NEW REPORT SAYS
WISCONSIN'S WORKFORCE IS
EXPECTED TO DWINDLE IN THE NEXT
DECADE WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN
OUTSIDE MIGRATION BY 2030 THE
WORKING AGE POPULATION WILL
SHRINK BY AN ESTIMATED 130,000
UNLESS WE FIND A WAY TO KEEP
YOUNG PEOPLE FROM LEAVING OR
CONVINCING TO HAVE FAMILIES HERE
AND THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION PART
OF THE WISCONSIN COUNTY
ASSOCIATION.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> YOU USE CENSUS DATA TO TRACK
THE INFLOW AND OUTFLOW FROM
WISCONSIN AND THE BABY BOOMERS
AGE INTO RETIREMENT WE HAVE A
MAJOR SHORTAGE.
>> THE FIRST BABY BOOM RETIRED
AND THAT HAD AN EFFECT.
THE SECOND HALF IS NOW AGING
INTO THAT AND THEY'RE ABOUT 20%
BIGGER SO THAT IS GOING TO --
AND WE DON'T HAVE REALLY ENOUGH
YOUNG PEOPLE COMING UP BEHIND
THEM TO REPLACE THEM.
SO THE SOLUTION -- THE ONLY
SOLUTION IF WE DON'T WANT TO SEE
THAT BIG DECLINE IS MIGRATION
FROM OTHER STATES OR OTHER
COUNTRIES.
>> Zac: SO THE LACK OR ABSENCE
OF WORKERS WILL BE FELT MORE
SEVERELY IN CERTAIN AREAS OR
SPREAD ACROSS THE WHOLE ECONOMY?
>> IT WILL BE SPREAD ACROSS THE
WHOLE ECONOMY.
WE'LL SEE IT EVERYWHERE.
PROBABLY YOU'LL SEE A BIGGER
IMPACT IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN.
THE POPULATION TENDS TO BE OLDER
AS IT IS AND FEWER YOUNG PEOPLE
SO IT WILL BE A LITTLE MORE
ACUTE THERE BUT WE'LL SEE IT
EVERYWHERE.
>> YOUR REPORT TALKS A LOT ABOUT
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ANYONE WHO GREW
UP IN WISCONSIN AND WENT TO
COLLEGE SAW THIS HAPPEN AND YOU
GO TO WISCONSIN AND EXPLORE THE
WORLD AND SOME COME BACK HOME TO
RAISE A FAMILY.
HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE THAT?
IS THAT A STATE SOLUTION OR
BUSINESS OR EMPLOYER SOLUTION?
>> IT'S A PUBLIC-PRIVATE WORKING
TOGETHER SOLUTION.
ONE, WE NEED TO TRY TO LIMIT THE
NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT
WE'RE LOSING.
WE'RE GOING TO LOSE A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER, AS YOU SAID,
THEY WANT TO GET OUT THERE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE FIND IS
WHEN YOU LOOK AT AVERAGE WAGES
FOR WHITE COLLAR EDUCATION AND
COLLEGE GRADUATE OCCUPATIONS
THEY'RE GOING INTO WE TEND TO BE
10% TO 15% BELOW THE NATIONAL
AVERAGE IN TERMS OF THE BUSINESS
SECTOR THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
THAT AND IF THEY WANT TO KEEP
THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE, THEY
HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE
COMPETITIVE.
AND I THINK THERE'S A ROLL FOR
THE STATE AS WELL.
WE SEE STATES, COUNTIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY PROVIDING INCENTIVES
FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE TO THEIR
STATES.
MAINE HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THIS.
WE'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW IT
LOOKS BUT THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE
CAN INNOCENT -- GIVE INCENTIVE
TO MOVE BACK HERE.
>>
>> THE PLACES YOU TALK ABOUT
PEOPLE MOVING TO ARE HAVING
NATURAL DISASTERS.
HOW CAN CLIMATE CHANGE BE MORE
DESIRABLE TO EVERYONE NOT JUST
NATIVES?
>> THERE'S INCREASE DISCUSSION
AROUND THE NOTION THAT OVER TIME
WISCONSIN, WITH ALL ITS WATER
RESOURCES, IS GOING TO LOOK MORE
AND MORE DESIRABLE FOR
INDIVIDUALS AND FOR BUSINESSES.
SO THAT MAY PLAY A ROLE IN THE
NEAR TERM NOT SO MUCH.
IT'S MORE OF A LONGER-TERM
PATTERN WE END UP SEEING.
>> Zac: WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO BE
PREPARED.
SHOULD THE STATE DO MORE AT THIS
TIME OR MAKING EVERYONE AWARE OF
THE SOLUTION?
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
>> I THINK THE SOLUTION TO OUR
CHALLENGE IS REALLY TARGETING
WHAT I CALL THE FAMILY
FORMATION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN
STRONG IN IN TERMS OF MIGRATION.
IT'S DESIGNING INCENTIVES FOR
THAT AGE GROUP TO MOVE HERE.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO -- THERE'S
AN EDUCATION COMPONENT TO THIS
THAT IF YOU GO OUTSIDE THE
MIDWEST, PEOPLE KNOW VERY LITTLE
ABOUT WISCONSIN EXCEPT THAT IT'S
COLD AND WE HAVE CHEESE AND THE
PACKERS AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.
SO PART OF IT IS EDUCATING THEM
ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE
GREAT SCHOOLS WE HAVE AND
RELATIVELY LOW CRIME.
ALL THOSE THINGS THAT FAMILIES
ARE LOOKING FOR BECAUSE ONCE
THEY KNOW ABOUT IT AND ONCE YOU
GET THEM HERE, MOST OF THEM
STAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE ROLE THAT
I THINK THE STATE CAN PLAY.
>> Zac: AND THOSE OF US STILL
SAY WE DON'T NEED MORE PEOPLE.
WE LIKE THE SPACE WE HAVE.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.