The real problem for Tulsa's revitalization

[Conan71]

Yes, it wasn't a count of positions existing, it was a count of positions available. And it's not my friend, just some former Tulsan on another forum who was complaining about having to leave.

The point is that we can have all the quality of life stuff we want (and we should, it's very important), but without available jobs, we won't get anywhere when it comes to attracting new blood. People who are already here and want to stay are being driven out because most of our high tech up and left town. It's also an appearance thing. If the positions are available, but not being advertised, as is often the case, we look bad. Someone just moving here isn't going to stand a great chance of being immediately plugged in to the behind the scenes hiring.

So no real quantification as to whether or not this person tried to network into a job or was simply browsing obvious classified sites for something he/she wanted to do?  That's hardly what I'd call a real indictment of the business and social climate of Tulsa.  At worst, it could have been a half-hearted effort to find work in Tulsa. 

I've worked for five different companies in the last 22 years, including for myself for four years.  Not one of those jobs was ever advertised.  A couple were via acquaintances, a couple were due to close friends.  You don't even have to be a lifer here to find opportunities like that.  If you have the personality, skills, and a good reputation, you can pretty well find whatever you want to do in this city.  You might not find it in a matter of days, but believe me, aside from my own experience I know of plenty of others who can share that sentiment.

[AquaMan]

   I think some of it is that so many here don't think the government could or should do anything job wise other than "stay out of it".  Yet, we sit here as a prime example of our city/region not diligently working to create and expand "nodes" (high tech, telicom, nano/materials science,  new energy, medical, tourism, etc.).  I hear talk of it from time to time, but don't see any follow-up or results.  Are we just to crappy a region to attract or build up those nodes and thats why we arent seeing results?  Or is it because we aren't trying hard enough or well enough?  OKC has done a decent job of building up its medical complex with state and local help. 

  What are we doing?  What are the different nodes we are trying to build up?  How well are we doing it?   

Each time in the past few decades that the city has tried to build up a greater variety of "nodes" we have encountered bad luck or just plain bad timing. Tech, education and tourism come to mind. Truth is we continue to fall back on our default industry, which is energy. We know that industry, we cultivate it and we actually lead the industry in some areas. We don't retain the larger components of that industry ....for now. Williams and some other local energy companies may change that.

I agree with your past assessments that of the three, education, and primarily upper level and technical education, are keys to our future diversification. That will stimulate the public school system and the synergy will radiate outwards through the city. We simply cannot write off public education without serious ramifications. And that is where the stalemate lies.

You have to know your core constituency and ours is energy and conservatism. We our uncomfortable outside that bubble.

[patric]

The "they cant find a job because they are lazy" theme just gets old.

[SXSW]

I'd be more curious to see how we stack up against similar-sized cities especially in our region.  Comparing Tulsa to Dallas, Seattle and Boston is apples to oranges.  We will never compete for shear number of high-paying jobs with those cities.  We can compete with peer cities like OKC, Little Rock, Omaha, Colorado Springs, Memphis, Albuquerque, Louisville, Des Moines, Birmingham, Tucson, etc. but not the biggest cities in the country except in certain areas within the energy and aerospace industries.

[heironymouspasparagus]

The "they cant find a job because they are lazy" theme just gets old.

When it's the only story he's got....


Just like when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[heironymouspasparagus]

OKC has much less in terms of high technology electrical/electronic type business.  Tulsa has been slipping badly in that area for the last few years, but there are signs that it may be starting to improve.  In particular, two new players in energy are spooling up right now.  Borets Weatherford and Summit ESP.  The story is they have raided Centrilift (Baker Hughes) in Claremore, as well as hiring outside.

And Wood Group was bought out by GE Oil and Gas - may be some more jobs open up there, in OKC and maybe Tulsa.

But then Bed-Chek was removed.  Lowrance has changed dramatically.  F W Murphy seems to be hiring from time to time, even if they are somewhat confused a lot of the time.

[nathanm]

Comparing Tulsa to Dallas, Seattle and Boston is apples to oranges.

Yet through simple division I can see that the numbers for Tulsa are disproportionately low.

[rdj]

Tulsa needs the creative class.  I've long believed that downtown needs to cater to creatives, artists and musicians.  If the creative class will think its cool, the not so cool kids will follow along.  People that aren't creative still want to be around that creative energy, so having pockets of development that encourage creativity will spur further development that caters to the fatter wallets of YP's & Baby Boomers.  Have you seen Councilor Ewing's open letter to hipsters in regards to the Max Retropub?  What he is apparently experiencing in his business is a microcosm of the concept.  The key is keeping in step with the creatives to ensure they always have a home.  Malcolm Gladwell also talks about this concept in his book the Tipping Point, wherer he calls it the "Law of the Few."

Love them or hate them, but at least the Chamber recognized it when they sponsored the group that started TYPros.

[Ronnie Lowe]

Tulsa's greatest strengths are:

We are a generator of small to mid-sized energy companies.  You can take that to the bank.

We are a family orientated small city that is a great place to raise a family.

The music scene.

Tulsa's greatest weaknesses are:

Infrastructure.  Regional Centers require a critical mass of infrastructure and institutions that support business.  We have already lost this battle.  OKC has won the battle.

Racism.  The Diversity Train has left the station and we are not on board.

Public education.  Somewhere down the line we gave up.

About downtown:

Tulsa does have a vibrant downtown.  It is centered somewhere near 41st and Yale.

When I look at the people I grew up with, when I look at my native Tulsan friends, I see incredibly sophisticated people.  We are not struggling with identity.  We know who we are and we know who Tulsa is.  I hold educated Tulsans to the highest standard and they rarely disappoint me.  

I wouldn't be from anywhere else.  Tulsa is the center of my universe.  And practically everything Tulsa does makes me angry.  Hey, don't blame me.  I just live here.

Want to revitalize?  Good luck.  I'm not hopeful.  But start by supporting our strengths and correcting our weaknesses.

[Teatownclown]

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POST OF THE MONTH! maybe decade.....

[Red Arrow]

Tulsa's greatest weaknesses are:
Infrastructure.  Regional Centers require a critical mass of infrastructure and institutions that support business.  We have already lost this battle.  OKC has won the battle.

No need to give up.

Public education.  Somewhere down the line we gave up.

Tulsa is not unique in that.  Public education needs to get repaired.  Almost no one seems to agree on how to do that.

About downtown:
Tulsa does have a vibrant downtown.  It is centered somewhere near 41st and Yale.

I was in the Blue Dome area last night. It seemed busy to me.  A few blocks away was like a morgue.

[AquaMan]

Tulsa's greatest strengths are:


We are a family orientated small city that is a great place to raise a family.

About downtown:

Tulsa does have a vibrant downtown.  It is centered somewhere near 41st and Yale.


Want to revitalize?  Good luck.  I'm not hopeful.

^These are the quotes I find hard to understand or just disagree with.

Our reputation as a good place to raise a family is fading. Unless you mean the burbs and surrounding villages.

What do you mean 41st and Yale?

Vitalize would mean to energize or create excitement. There is a small core of people trying to do just that, so I am hopeful.  But you're never going to add vitality to a city that is primarily viewed as a good place to raise a family...except for the school system, the traffic, the infrastructure, the lack of high paying jobs, and the reputation as a conservative, fundamentalist hotbed of, hypocrisy, guns and meth. Vitality is associated with young, smart, progressive, well adjusted people. New York has vitality. We have guns, drugs and two separate holiday parades..

[heironymouspasparagus]

Tulsa's greatest weaknesses are:

Infrastructure.  Regional Centers require a critical mass of infrastructure and institutions that support business.  We have already lost this battle.  OKC has won the battle.

All good, but I would probably not give OKC quite as much credit as you do.  I spend a LOT of time in that area, in particular the east to south part of town down to Norman.  (I was sitting watching TV less than a mile from the shoot out in Valley Brook the other night - heard the exchange of shots.  Very clearly and loud.)  

They are losing employers alarmingly fast, and the small family businesses you mention seem to be an endangered species.  The kind of stuff I do just isn't happening there.  We are having some trouble, but I think it is being shared by OKC in many ways.


And yeah, even though I am probably a whole lot older than you, a lot of your next to last line transcends the generations.  At least, this one...

[heironymouspasparagus]

Tulsa is not unique in that.  Public education needs to get repaired.  Almost no one seems to agree on how to do that.

And yet, so many seem to keep getting an education.  For example, Ronnie, you and me, just to name a few.  Plus many of the other people posting here.

[Red Arrow]

And yet, so many seem to keep getting an education.  For example, Ronnie, you and me, just to name a few.  Plus many of the other people posting here.

You and I belong to another generation.  I don't know about Ronnie. Back before rocks turned to dirt, the public education system seemed to do a better job in my opinion.  I am actually a product of suburban Philadelphia, PA public education.  I don't know if my old school system is any better than the local area systems or not.  When we moved here (1971), my sister was starting 9th grade in Bixby.  It was mostly a repeat of what she had already learned in 8th grade "back east".