local business: create jobs that will attract young workers
After reading the article on the LF Press about our identify issues and the need for young people to stick around, my first thoughts are on the job market. With the people I'm connected to, London does not have a good reputation regarding its workforce. We are a city full of call centers and other places where people have low-paying or minimum wage jobs. The workers have no job security and no way to advance in their fields. When I first moved here, I worked at a call center with 1000 people. People were hired or fired without a blink of an eye. The majority of the employees were college and university graduates who couldn't get jobs anywhere else. Morale was low, turnover was high, and every good employee left eventually for greener pastures (many left London to do find this). At 32 years old I find it very difficult to justify living in a place where I am still fighting to find a secure job in my field. My husband has already changed careers due to this issue. The article mentioned Waterloo. Waterloo has RIM, a company with the reputation of paying good wages, offering security and benefits. 5 of my friends have moved there from London in the last 4 years. London does not have a company like this (that I am aware of) and city council needs to consider how to attract one if they want to maintain the population of young people. Our 25-40 year olds are living paycheck to paycheck, working multiple jobs to make ends meet, and will leave for a more positive career without a second thought to the identity of this city. Call London whatever you want - what my age group needs is a healthy job market so we can work to support our families and plan for our future. City council needs to figure out a way to attract young, educated workers. Prove to us that we can have a successful future here and we'll stay, buy homes, shop, raise our families, and contribute to this community.