Last week, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Young Professionals hosted a group of college students from Augusta University who came to learn more about the Charlotte Region and the opportunities for life after graduation.
Two dozen students who are considering moving to Charlotte and other major metropolitans had the opportunity to hear from CLT Alliance leadership and young professionals representing companies and organizations from across the region.
“The Charlotte Region is one of the best places in the country to live, work, and play,” CLT Alliance Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Rob Horton said.
Horton spoke about the advantages of living in the Charlotte Region and why it has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. With more than 113 people moving to the region every day, at an average age of 31, the region is emerging as one of the most vibrant and attractive places for people looking to lay down roots. Horton said it’s also attractive for companies looking for young, diverse talent.
“Employers really rely on the fact that Charlotte has the talent,” Horton said. “Not only that you can import it, but also that you can grow your own.”
Several of the YPs offered their time and talent to developing the next generation of leaders, participating in a panel discussion about their personal and professional journeys.
“Charlotte chose me; I had become a big fish in a really really small pond,” Lauren Layne, director of major gifts and planned giving at Central Piedmont Community College, said. “I dug in and I showed up and I liked it. Charlotte was big and it was fun and there were tons of things going on. I learned how it moved, who moved it, what decisions they made. And I was 100% confident that this was it, it was home.”
After listening to the panel, the students broke out into small group conversations.
“We had the opportunity to network with incredibly talented individuals at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance,” Augusta University senior Ikia Furse-Samuels said. “This trip was nothing short of amazing.”
The trip also helped the students feel more prepared about charting a path post-graduation. According to a survey conducted by the university, before taking the trip, 81% of students felt unprepared to move to a new city. After the trip, 80% students felt prepared or very prepared to move to a new city.
“The presentations really gave me a good view into the ins and outs of the city of Charlotte,” one student responded. “As someone who has lived in a small town for my whole life, I have never believed that city life could be possible for me. However, after hearing the young professionals speak today and tell us their personal experiences, I truly believe that a small town girl is capable of making it in the big city.”
Another student agreed: “It was great to hear real life experiences from people who relocated for their jobs. It definitely helped me understand the opportunities that city has to offer.”
