One to One with Bill Goodman:
Rebecca Ryan
premiered December 14, 2008
On this edition of One to One with Bill Goodman, Rebecca Ryan of Next Generation Consulting talks about how employers and other entities can attract and retain young professionals.
Ryan is an entrepreneur and founder of Next Generation Consulting, which guides companies and organizations on how to engage 20- to 40-year-olds. Her book, Live First, Work Second: Getting Inside the Minds of the Next Generation, sprang from more than nine years of her company’s research.
The author discusses how the next generation of workers views institutions like politics, education, and energy—beliefs that are often radically different from those of the baby boomer and World War II generations. Then, Ryan explains the difference between an economy of goods and a knowledge-based economy, and why companies and regions should aim for the latter.
Ryan describes what makes a community “cool,” listing factors that allow cities and regions to attract and retain a talented workforce. The next generation, she says, seeks out an attractive community first and a job second. For that group of workers, activity outside of work is just as important, if not more important, than the job itself.
Finally, Ryan talks about Louisville’s strengths and challenges as well as comparable regions around the world that have made headway in attracting the next generation of workers.
About the Series
One to One features in-depth interviews with a variety of interesting people. Guests are drawn from a wide range of fields, and conversations cover an enormous array of topics. While many noteworthy Kentuckians are featured, Bill also talks with fascinating visitors from around the world.
As host of Kentucky Tonight, bookclub@ket, and KET election coverage, Bill Goodman has built a reputation as a skilled and even-handed moderator. One to One, he says, represents an opportunity for more relaxed, in-depth conversations with a variety of guests.
One to One is a KET production, produced by Bill Goodman and Cindy Asher. The program is closed-captioned for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
