“We continue to lose people to other parts of the state and other states in the nation,” ODU economist Robert McNab recently told WAVY TV, referring to a report he authored on the declining number of 20–34-year-olds in the area. “Hampton Roads has gotten slightly larger, but slightly grayer.”
McNab said it’s about money. “It’s not because they are saying Hampton Roads is a boring place to live, but they are looking for economic opportunities and are voting with their feet. They are going to areas where they can find jobs that are higher paying.”
David White of the VA Maritime Association blames lack of knowledge of opportunity here. In an op-ed in the Pilot, citing a study showing how vibrant the maritime sector in the region, he wrote: “Hampton Roads is actually an Ocean of Opportunity for our citizens and those who come here. Check the ‘want ads’.” Even though we already have the U.S.’s largest maritime workforce, there are openings for skilled tradesmen and women; and educational institutions are amping up certification and degree granting programs.” And those include white collar jobs too.
Forward Thinking will stay on this issue. For starters, here are a couple pieces by young people who think Hampton Roads is just swell.
Why Not Here?
By Drew Keever
Entrepreneur
I was born in Norfolk, but at the age of 11, my family moved to Virginia Beach to satisfy my
parents’ insatiable appetite for the sand, sun and surf. I graduated from Norfolk Academy in 2014. After finishing college and starting my career, I felt Virginia Beach, and Hampton Roads, pulling me back.
Despite being home to nearly 1.8 million people, our region has a way of feeling like the biggest small town you’ll ever experience with a tapestry of cities and counties, each with its own unique flavor, offering something for everyone. From Portsmouth to Pungo, your experience varies depending on where you plant your roots. Indeed, there’s a sense of belonging here that wraps around you like a warm blanket.
Hampton Roads is also a fertile ground for entrepreneurship. Over the last year, I’ve been scaling a fintech startup with a Virginia-based team that is part of a vibrant community of innovators, founders and creators in Norfolk that’s incredibly supportive. That includes notably Tim Ryan, Executive Director of Innovate Hampton Roads (see his piece that follows). His family decided on this region more than 20 years ago and couldn’t be happier. Tim is the compass needle pointing true North for Hampton Roads’ burgeoning startup community.
Here’s to the future of Hampton Roads—a future we’re all crafting, one story at a time.
Air Force and Buffalo Native Loves Hampton Roads
By Tom Ryan
Executive Director, Innovate Hampton Roads
Born and raised in the suburbs of Buffalo, I did enjoy having the Bills and Sabres as home teams. But the winters are harsh, and the summers are short.
As I grew up in the ’90s, General Motors’ reign over the automotive world diminished, and the job market wasn’t exactly “thriving” in western New York. The US Air Force became my career path.
After spending several years overseas, my last duty station was Langley Air Force Base in Hampton. I quickly realized this was home, and I separated from the service. Here’s why.
Virginia has four seasons, and although the summers can be hot and humid, that is offset by mild winters with snowfalls that melt the next day. Spring and autumn are very pleasant.
I love the water and the mountains, with their hiking trails, wineries and apple orchards, are not far away.
To experience the big city, Washington DC is but a few hours north, but after attending an A-list concert venue or a Nats/Commanders/Wizards game, you realize our traffic isn’t so bad.
I often joke with people that Hampton Roads is the largest, small town you’ll ever live in. You realize that when you are constantly bumping into people you know. Add in our history, amusement parks, world-class beaches, colleges and universities, the military, and so much more, our region is not a hard sell.
Lots of visitors save their hard-earned money over the course of a year to vacation here. How wonderful we can be in this area all the time.
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