Study: Phila. must do more to retain young adults

Hundreds of local business and civic leaders gathered at the recently opened World Cafe Live yesterday to discuss the ongoing exodus of local graduates from the region.

Participants at the Creative Economy Conference had a simple message for the area's college-aged and young professional population: Philadelphia needs you.

That sentiment was based on a new study unveiled at the conference, which revealed that the region needs to do more to retain and increase its "creative class" in order to flourish in the years to come.

The study was focused on 25- to 34-year-olds, especially those with college degrees. Carol Coletta, CEO of Coletta and Company, called the group "a particularly important demographic in this economy."

"They are more adaptable, they are more flexible, and because they are young workers, they also get paid less," she said. "This is the dream demographic for anyone trying to hire."

Coletta -- whose firm conducted the study -- presented a series of statistics that were rather sobering to those in the audience concerned with Philadelphia's future.

Since 1995, 6.6 million 25- to 34-year-olds moved from one metropolitan area to another. There was a net loss of 3,500 people -- 114,600 moved into Philadelphia and 118,100 moved out.

Migration patterns have been mixed between Philadelphia and other cities in the Northeast.

There was a net gain of 5,809 people from the New York area and a gain of 1,108 people from Pittsburgh; conversely, 1,982 people were lost to the Washington, D.C. area and 861 people to Boston.

These four cities are the ones with which Philadelphia is often perceived to be competing for jobs.

In total, there has been a net loss from Philadelphia to 39 of the 49 other metropolitan areas, most of which are in the South and West.

Coletta argued that one thing Philadelphia -- like other cities in the survey -- has to do to be successful is to overcome its historic reluctance to change.

"Cities that want to attract 25- to 34-year-olds will also welcome new ideas," she said. "Newcomers often feel like their ideas are discounted or dismissed. ... When you get here, people are stuck in their old ways."

Coletta also said that cities have to "take care of the basics -- clean, green, safe, honest government," prompting a round of hearty laughter from the audience.

But Coletta concluded that "there's very much a sense that Philadelphia is getting better," and noted that the region already has plenty to offer.

"If you're near New York, if you're near D.C., if you're near the shore, that's an asset," she said. "The only people who say bad things about Philadelphia are the people in Philadelphia."

Innovation Philadelphia President and CEO Rich Bendis said he was pleased with Coletta's sentiments.

"I think that we need to start promoting the positive assets and attributes that we have significantly more," he said. "There are people consciously deciding to stay here or move into Philadelphia who don't find it bad."

Pennsylvania Economy League Executive Director David Thornburgh added that there was plenty for college students to take from the presentation.

They should "know that Philadelphia and Philadelphia's leaders care about them," he said. "Here's 400 people turning up for two or three hours just to try to figure out better ways to embrace them."

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