A baby born in 2014 will turn 18 and effectively enter the workforce in 2032. If I were to write a letter to the next generation about the people who are working today to make the future better, this is what I would say:
To the workforce of 2032,
Perhaps things will be much different in 2032 than they are in 2014. I am quite sure some problems will have been solved and others will persist or have been created. In any case, I am sure you will live in a community of some sort, large or small, and there are leaders in those very communities right now trying to ensure it is a great place for you. Some leaders you will learn about – you will see their names on buildings and bridges. There are also hundreds of others – people I would call everyday heroes – who preserve traditions and add to our culture in immeasurable ways.
There are entrepreneurs dreaming up new business models and inventions that will lead to companies that employ hundreds or even thousands. There are artists creating new ways to inspire emotion and stir debate. There are elected leaders who are making tough decisions and investing in the future, and there are business leaders who are contributing their time and giving back to accelerate progress and solve our toughest problems.
Here is what I ask of you. Work hard to make the most of the advantages people are working to create for you. Prepare by being diligent in school or by honing a skill. Be open to new ideas, cultures and people. Learn about the increasingly complicated world we live in. Be sure to learn about our history, both our failings and our successes. Do everything you can do to be an everyday hero.
-Kenny McDonald
One Columbus Update
- The Columbus Region November Economic Update is available here. The report details the expansion and location announcements by industry leaders Adalet, Klarna and KTH Parts, a regional unemployment rate of 3.9 percent, and 139 active projects entering the final month of the year.
- Our team wishes you a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2015!