Millennials Choose Detroit, Boosting It To 3rd In Job Growth
By Christy Strawser
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) It's tough to be a little fish in a big pond, especially if you're just learning to swim.
So, millennials more and more are looking for work in mid-sized cities. And one of the top cities they're choosing is Detroit, which just a few years ago was considered a sinking ship, miring ever deeper into despair.
But it's a new day.
According to a new Linked In survey, over the past year, interest in mid-size cities among millennials has grown 25 percent faster than interest in large cities.
Cities with highest annual growth in job interest among millennials include Austin, Texas, at No. 1, Raleigh, N.C., at No. 2, Detroit at No. 3. Cleveland and Charlotte, N.C., round out the top five.
LinkedIn determines the trend by looking at data from its users, including the year they graduated from college and the locations of the jobs on their profiles, and the cities in which they're applying for jobs. Millennials were defined in the study as those who earned a bachelor's degree between 2001 and 2016.
"Both groups of cities are likely appealing to young professionals who want more manageable costs of living, yet a fairly vibrant culture and lifestyle," according to Fortune Magazine.
Millennials are primarily looking for roles as software developers, sales and marketing professionals and manufacturing/mechanical engineers.
"With the rise of opportunities in the technology space, it's no surprise that "software developer" is the most highly sought after job among millennials on LinkedIn today -- 21 percent more so than the general population," according to Entrepreneur Magazine.
A year ago, Elite Daily called Detroit a "millennial paradise," and credited Quicken Loans founder and Detroit billionaire entrepreneur Dan Gilbert with pioneering the renaissance.
"Gilbert has almost singlehandedly put Detroit on the right path. At the end of 2014, he had purchased more than 60 properties for a cost of $1.3 billion. He moved over 12,000 of his own employees into the downtown area, and 6,500 of these people were new hires," Maria Tomlinson wrote.
She added that millennials "love a challenge" and thrive on "adventure and going against the grain."
"While many people in our generation love the idea of moving to NYC, Chicago or Los Angeles, the fact remains that those cities' cost of living is way too high. So, in comes Detroit," Tomlinson added.