Young Professionals Network Defies County’s Aging Perception

There’s an idea that most of Door County is reserved for retirees and part-timers. When the snow melts or when someone turns 70, they cross the bridges and settle in. But there is a group of people in the county that doesn’t fit this description. They are employed throughout the year and, to further astonishment, they are young.

“It’s really amazing to be in a room with 100 people and see that everyone is about your age,” said Caitlin Oleson, leader of Door County’s new Young Professionals Network (YPN), an extension of the Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC). “That is really exciting and hopeful in this kind of community that is seen as a retirement community.”

The group is focused on attracting and retaining the bright young minds that either grew up here or have always loved what Door County has to offer. Over the next few months, Oleson will put together programming to offer a way for young professionals between the ages of 21 and 40 to interact, share knowledge and feel like there is a vibrant and youthful culture here.

“I don’t want to be a scaremonger, but if we aren’t addressing this now, it’s not going to look very great in the next 10 years,” said Oleson, reflecting on the aging population and dreary census numbers detailing the apparent evaporation of the county’s young working class.

“It’s kind of two tracks,” said Oleson. “One are people that get hired by Door County companies and they move here to work in the industrial park or a municipality. They get brought up here and they don’t have ties to the community but they want to get involved. So we offer them a space where they can meet other people in their age group, have access to different volunteer opportunities with the nonprofits up here and they can work on some of their professional development among their peers.

“Then the other group is people that are living here now that grew up here or people that just ended up here and really like living in Door County. You don’t necessarily have to be in your dream job but you want to make it work here.”

Oleson thinks these mindsets are unique to the millennial generation that is now searching for jobs.

“I think people aren’t afraid of starting their dream job but also doing something on the side for income and waiting for that transition to what they want to do. Or doing four things at once and not being forced into, but owning that because that’s how they are going to make a living.”

The YPN held its first event at Door County Brewing Company on Nov. 12 and will host another launch event at Starboard Brewing Company on Dec. 10. The event at Door County Brewing Company brought more than 100 people to meet and simply get excited about being around so many young professionals.

In the beginning, Oleson is looking for retention of the county’s young people rather than attraction. She believes that by cultivating an environment where people want to live and see opportunity for jobs, networking, and relationships, others from outside the county will be attracted to the area organically.

The Northern Door native is also aware of the concept of “brain drain,” referring to local residents that leave to get an education and don’t come back. By making the county a healthy option for jobs and a fostering and exciting social network, she believes the area natives will be more likely to return as an asset to the county.

While still unsure what programming will look like, the event at Door County Brewing Company highlighted the local desire to have a vehicle providing social activities, community programming and career development. Oleson hopes to encourage young professionals to participate in municipal elections and promote the transfer of knowledge from the older residents in the county to the younger ones.

“We have an amazing array of retirees in the community with not only experience in Wisconsin, but international experience, which is very unique to our community,” said Oleson.

Other ideas included small business mentorships and industry-specific programming because, “social events are really not going to sustain any program.”

Oleson thinks the peninsula is the most unique county in the state deserving of a different approach to economic development. Other groups in the county have tried to kick-start similar groups but they have never gained traction. Oleson hopes this focus on young professionals rather than broad economic development will give her group a better foothold in the community and get the wheels turning on Door County’s goal of a demographically diverse, year-round workforce.