B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 37 millennials that are graduating from our colleges and universities, and they immediately want to move to bigger cities. This is what becomes known as a talent drain, which also creates a leadership drain.” With a shrinking workforce, it will become more challenging for current industries and businesses to remain competitive in South Georgia. “We need to get ahead of this,” Carvajal said. “We can’t wait and bury our heads in the sand and pretend that our quality of life will be enough. We have a great quality of life and that is why I call this home, but that won’t always be enough to help businesses and industries remain successful.” Regarding the issue of preparing a highly trained and employable workforce, Carvajal said the subcommittee will look at the curriculum and programs currently offered at higher education institutions in South Georgia. “We need to see if we have a mix of programs at our institutions that will serve rural Georgia now and in the future,” Carvajal said. “Are programs starting at the high school level and going through postsecondary tailored to the needs of businesses and industries? And, how do we create a mechanism where it is flexible enough to continue to do so?” The committee will also look at how the millennial population will impact South Georgia’s workforce. Carvajal said the important question is, “How do we make communities in rural Georgia attractive for millennials?” VSU President Richard A. Carvajal enjoys interacting with students on campus. What we hope will come out of our work is a set of recommendations for municipalities and counties to think about how to make their communities more millennial friendly. We need to create a place where they want to come back after graduating college or don’t want to leave if they graduate from here. It is really about creating a place they want to call home. - Dr. Richard A. Carvajal B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 37