The Rhode Island Brain Drain: Fact or Fiction?

Have you heard about the RI brain drain?  If not let me start by telling you that the latest numbers say its becoming a lie.  The brain drain theory isn't new to this state and it can pretty much be summed up by saying that we have a lot of higher education institutions in our little state but not a whole lot of graduates applying for our jobs.  Why?  Well simply put the reason is that graduates leave the state after graduation because they feel the opportunities for work are greater elsewhere.

The brain drain wasn't always a borderline lie though, in fact this is the first year on record that the numbers speak differently.  The new data suggests that graduates have warmed up to our quaint little state and 1 out of 3 are sticking around after graduation.  Obviously in a perfect world we could have 3 out 3 of our graduates, but 1 in 3 is far better than college officials and business leaders previously believed.  Of our native Rhode Islanders, we keep about 59% of them, but only 18% of our out of state kids stay.  Where did this juicy information come from?  It was commissioned by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.  They surveyed 11 public and private higher education institutions and spoke with not only graduates from 2006-2007, but also over 9,000 2010-2011 grads.  Of the graduates who left the state, only 42% believe the job prospects were better elsewhere.  Of the pending grads, the study found that only 19% were planning to stay in RI after graduation day unless they could find summer work. Interesting statistics.

The state hopes to follow in the tracks of Philadelphia who managed to boost its graduate retention rate to an impressive 86%.  The present goal is boost our rate from our current 34% overall, to 40% by 2015. The state plans to do this by utilizing the information the study revealed which is that the more "touches" undergraduates have with the community and the workforce the more likely they are to stick around.  Perhaps all this is something to keep in mind next time a soon to be graduate comes knocking at your door.

Meet Our Team

 Dawn Apajee

Owner & Recruitment Specialist

I've been in the recruitment industry for over 20 years. I started in the industry in the UK where I ran one of the most profitable Temporary Staffing Divisions in the City of London. I moved to the U.S. because of my husband’s job as a Professional Soccer Coach and worked as an Account Executive for one of a large employment agency. One of my major achievements was earning the Top Sales Executive for the Chicago area. Now I own and operate this young yet thriving employment agency. We’ve been steadily busy since we first opened for business in 2006 mainly because our staff are committed consultants that understand the importance of developing a “partnership” culture with our customers and we tailor our services to their staffing needs and that is extremely important in a constantly changing market. I live in Cranston, with my husband, Deven, who now works for the New England Revolution and my 2 children, Daniel and Jessica.

 Brittany Bert

Account Executive

I was born and raised in Rhode Island, briefly left and lived in lower Manhattan and then returned to finish a dual degree at Rhode Island College in Sociology and History.   I started at City Personnel this past winter as a recruitment specialist and have moved into an account executive role.  I spend a great deal of time reaching out to clients and working with them to understand their individual hiring needs.  I also work on our social media communication ventures, as well as write our delightful blog.  I love photography, travel, animals, and am completely obsessed my little dog Elle.  I currently live in Providence with my fiancee Travis and our pets.

 Cassie Emond

Marketing Intern

I'm originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts. I currently live and go to school in Providence, Rhode Island, where I am studying Advertising and Marketing Communications at Johnson and Wales University. I’m currently interning at City Personnel as a Marketing Administrator where I assist the team in various ways. I create and design marketing materials, research current news articles for our blog, assist with the recruitment efforts by writing help wanted ads and post on the job boards. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. Summer is my favorite time of the year because I love being in the water and doing any activity that involves swimming or water sports.