The document discusses strategies for attracting and retaining young professionals in Sarasota, Florida. It notes that between 2008-2010, the Young Professionals Group (YPG) lost over 400 members, with more than 200 leaving to find jobs elsewhere. The top reason for leaving was a lack of jobs. The document proposes ways to attract young professionals such as branding Sarasota as entrepreneurial city, hosting job fairs in other cities, and creating a welcome program for alumni. It also suggests marketing what Sarasota has to offer now and making long-term changes like developing a live music venue.

1. Attracting and Retaining Young Professionals

8. The Breakdown: Young Professionals (ages 20-44) make up 24% of Sarasota’s total Population! * According to the American Community Survey

9. What is Keeping Young Professionals in Sarasota?

10. Amy Tuck Farrington : “Early educational programs here are excellent, as we are expecting the birth of our first child, this is important to us. Jobs are not keeping us here.” Valarie Wadsworth : “I am here for the beauty, culture, food and the arts. Tampa doesn’t have the beauty or charm of Sarasota.” Sam Davidson : “I feel like I have no competition, and can move up in a company a lot quicker. Our local young professionals are our own competition. In a larger city, it would have taken 5 – 7 years to move up the corporate ladder.”

11. Alison Gutek: “ I grew up here, my family is here and its’ warm. I represent the boomerangs, we come back, but there has to be jobs to make it worthwhile.” Neal Alfano : “ I am a graduate of Ringling College, and I know I am of a small minority that stayed after graduation. I networked and stayed. But, I do feel like the odd ball out from my fellow graduates.”

12. Between 2008 – 2010, YPG lost over 400 members. More than 200 of these members left Sarasota to find work in other cities, like Charlotte, Atlanta and Orlando.

13. Why are they leaving? #1 Answer: Lack of JOBS

16. Sample Advertisements to Retain Local Young Professionals

18. Sample Advertisements to Attract Young Professionals to Sarasota

25. Other Ways to Attract Young Professionals

27. 2 . Job Fair Representation: Have an Outreach Development Officer go to the larger College job fairs or Career Fairs in other Young Professional Markets (Austin, Charlotte, Atlanta), and try to attract a few Young Professionals at a time to work for Sarasota companies. 3. Post Jobs on State University Jobsites: Outreach needs to be improved upon with the state colleges and universities outside of Sarasota. Jobs in Sarasota need to be posted on the Jobsites for Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Miami, etc. 4. Student Entrepreneurial Program: Local colleges, like USF, New College and Ringling should have entrepreneurial incubator funding for college seniors to work on entrepreneurial start ups, as an alternative to the standard internships. With all of the empty store front on the North Trail, space shouldn’t be an issue.

28. 5. Welcome Back Weekend: Geared towards alumni of Sarasota’s higher education that have gone elsewhere to start their careers. Invite them back to remind them of Sarasota’s beauty, amenities, lifestyle, and growing economy. 6. City-wide Homecoming Parade for All Local Universities: Create a downtown parade and other weekend events to draw back alumni for a weekend and show the local students that Sarasota appreciates and supports them.

30. Elise Lipoff, YPG Chair | [email_address] | 941.366.3116 Follow us on : www.facebook/sarasotaYPG