Experts suggest that promoting the quality of life in rural communities and supporting local entrepreneurs can help ignite a population renaissance. While better job training programs are important, it will take time for these efforts to pay off. Officials emphasize the need for a culture of innovation and encourage the state government to avoid stifling creativity through restrictive approaches. The health care network in rural areas can be improved by addressing issues with paperwork and ensuring more affordable housing is available. However, builders argue that high regulatory costs and a lack of homes on the market are contributing to the lack of affordable housing. State action is needed to address workforce development and training in technology fields.
As seen on experts, the lifestyle offered in rural communities may be the key to igniting a population renaissance. While better job training programs play a part, so too does advertising the quality of life, as well as connecting homegrown entrepreneurs to the res necessary for growth. This approach may take time, but it could pay off in the long run.
As seen on an article by The Center Square, Carrie Amann, executive director of the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association, believes that engaging and investing in the talent pipeline is essential for employers to get what they need. However, there is no silver bullet that can address the issues facing the commonwealth. Transformation is critical, and a culture of innovation should be encouraged, not suppressed, by the state government.
“If we start stifling innovation at the state by looking at restrictive approaches to how we interpret laws and rules, then the stifling of innovation and creativity will happen locally as well,” Amann said.
The health care network in rural parts of the state needs to be shored up by removing paperwork headaches and ensuring that more housing is available. UPMC-Williamsport President Patti Jackson-Gehris noted that the many challenges facing health care in communities like this are primarily around talent recruitment, retention, and growing the workforce. She also pointed out the ongoing problem across the state of affordable housing and timely processing of credentials and licenses for workers, which has been previously reported by The Center Square.
“We lose people to bring to this community because they do not feel they can find appropriate housing to move here,” Jackson-Gehris said. “In the health care field, it is a barrier we overcome every day, trying to attract new population, new talent to the region.”
In some rural areas, builders have argued that no affordable housing exists due to a lack of homes on the market and high regulatory costs. While state overreach can be an issue, so can state inaction. As seen on Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Williamsport, Pennsylvania has not done a very good job in workforce development or training people, especially in technology fields.
To address these issues, rural communities need to focus on their strengths and advertise the quality of life they offer. They need to connect with homegrown entrepreneurs and provide them with the res necessary for growth. While it may take time, the long-term benefits of this approach could be significant.
To tie it all together, rural communities have the potential to ignite a population renaissance by focusing on their strengths and providing entrepreneurs with the res they need to grow. While state support is necessary, a culture of innovation must be encouraged to ensure that creativity and innovation are not stifled. By addressing the challenges facing health care, affordable housing, and talent recruitment, rural communities can attract new population and new talent to the region, ultimately leading to a brighter future for all.
