Grand Rapids Press recruiting its own reader base to North Dakota

[GRDadof3]

On the front page of today's Press:

Give us a look, says job rich North Dakota

And they even go a step further, with graphs provided by the North Dakota Dept of Commerce comparing quality of life metrics between Michigan and N.D., and a link to jobs listings in N.D. It's one thing to report that there are a lot of N.D. companies set up at the employment expo at Delta Plex, quite another to actively promote on their behalf. And yet, the Press has a hard time promoting its own hometown companies.

My subscription ends today.

Thank you Grand Rapids Press.

[CK1]

Any idea how successful Wyoming was when it came in last year to recruit workers for the oil & gas industry out there? While North Dakota might have some success in recruiting a handful of people, I'd be willing to venture a guess that a vast majority of the type of workers that are being sought (those with a high degree of mechanical / mfg expertise) have strong social and family ties to West Michigan, and for that reason N.D., S.D., and Wyoming will have to wave more than $$ in front of people's faces to get them to move.

Hopefully the Press runs a follow-up story in a month or two on how many people chose to make the move northwest.

[GRDadof3]

Any idea how successful Wyoming was when it came in last year to recruit workers for the oil & gas industry out there? While North Dakota might have some success in recruiting a handful of people, I'd be willing to venture a guess that a vast majority of the type of workers that are being sought (those with a high degree of mechanical / mfg expertise) have strong social and family ties to West Michigan, and for that reason N.D., S.D., and Wyoming will have to wave more than $$ in front of people's faces to get them to move.

Hopefully the Press runs a follow-up story in a month or two on how many people chose to make the move northwest.

[trongrr]

Plus, it's a desolate place not anything like Michigan.

[PR-15]

The Press is once again leading the journalistic world in missing the mark...

Let's try to retain our workforce and intellectual capital in Michigan, please.

[Veloise]

This might fall under the same category as the front-page piece Sarah Palin and Dick DeVos have the same glasses!

[uncus]

Any idea how successful Wyoming was when it came in last year to recruit workers for the oil & gas industry out there? While North Dakota might have some success in recruiting a handful of people, I'd be willing to venture a guess that a vast majority of the type of workers that are being sought (those with a high degree of mechanical / mfg expertise) have strong social and family ties to West Michigan, and for that reason N.D., S.D., and Wyoming will have to wave more than $$ in front of people's faces to get them to move.

Hopefully the Press runs a follow-up story in a month or two on how many people chose to make the move northwest.

[PolarBoy]

That is mad bogus.

[Explorer]

What good is retaining a skilled workforce if there is no way for them to put food on the table?? I agree that the press should be positive and try to promote their home market - but if there is an opportunity elsewhere for people to get on with their lives, please... get the word out. Nobody wins having idle talent just sitting around. I hope those that the ND situation truly is a great opportunity - take a serious look. And I hope that the press or any other media outlet paints the picture accurately, even if it contrasts West MI.

[DSchoon]

I have a mind to defend the Press on this one. I don't see this as anything different than writing a story that says joining the military could be a lucrative career or that there is opportunity for work or even missionary assignments overseas.

I really can't see how including a graph, lifestyle stats and links crosses a line at all. I say it's useful information on a subject that readers are interested in, although not all react positively to. I think the bigger issue with this story is why the Press is struggling to find anything local worth writing about at the job fair it sponsors.

[GRDadof3]

I have a mind to defend the Press on this one. I don't see this as anything different than writing a story that says joining the military could be a lucrative career or that there is opportunity for work or even missionary assignments overseas.

I really can't see how including a graph, lifestyle stats and links crosses a line at all. I say it's useful information on a subject that readers are interested in, although not all react positively to. I think the bigger issue with this story is why the Press is struggling to find anything local worth writing about at the job fair it sponsors.

[grbrit]

What good is retaining a skilled workforce if there is no way for them to put food on the table?...if there is an opportunity elsewhere for people to get on with their lives, please... get the word out.

[GRDadof3]

I hadn't thought of it that way, but good point - well made! After all, it's jobs that Michigan is short of, not people.

[DSchoon]

Jobs are created by people. Not in some lab somewhere.

[Veloise]

...upwardly mobile knowledge worker ... the skills that used to make the auto industry go round are needed elsewhere more than they are here. Before the recession it was robots--those jobs ain't coming back. I say fish where there is fish.

[GRDadof3]

True to a point. I would be freaking shocked if the upwardly mobile knowledge worker is looking at Wyoming or North Dakota as a viable option unless they're giving away land, cars and hot wives.

But I would imagine that there is a greater need for an industrial welder or pipefitter somewhere near a gas pipeline. Whatever you think of the Michigan economy, the skills that used to make the auto industry go round are needed elsewhere more than they are here. Before the recession it was robots--those jobs ain't coming back. I say fish where there is fish.