ED-Central


In This Issue


In this digital age, one might think that workers for high tech companies would flock to urban areas. While this may be true to some extent, there is still ample opportunity for rural areas to attract high tech workers as well.

In this digital age, one might think that workers for high tech companies would flock to urban areas. While this may be true to some extent, there is still ample opportunity for rural areas to attract high tech workers as well.

Telecommuters have the ability to work from anywhere in the world as long as they have a computer and a high speed internet connection. Over the past few years the ability to access a high speed internet connection has spread to areas once thought too remote for telecommuters to work from. What does this mean for rural towns? It means that with good planning and effective marketing rural towns can put themselves in the running as possible locations for workers looking for a place to call home.

One might ask why a telecommuter would want to relocate outside of the hustle and bustle of the city, but the real question is why not? Rural towns can offer workers a quality of life that can be hard to come by in an urban metropolis. Workers are often looking for a place suitable for their family to grow and what better place to look than to a close-knit community. Smaller schools can provide a high quality educational environment. Being in a rural area allows for greater access to nature and for many there is still easy access to cities. All of these things add up to a quality of life that is not easily replicable in an urban setting.

In order to attract these high tech workers, rural towns must market themselves effectively. Having a well-maintained, up-to-date, and professional website is a must. Emphasize the qualities of your town that set you apart from urban settings. Appeal to the need for community that people often feel by highlighting community-wide events and activities.

You should also make an effort to provide settings in your town that are good for co-working. Co-working is simply the gathering of a group of independent workers working in the same space. It is becoming increasingly popular among telecommuters with co-working spaces popping up in places like Austin, Bryan-College Station, Katy, and other places across the state and country. Smaller communities can also take advantage of this concept and implement it in their own towns. All that is needed is a space for people to work with access to a high speed internet connection.

As the amount of telecommuters grows these workers will be expanding their searches of places to live. Rural communities can pounce on this opportunity to both market what they already have to offer and also to create a welcoming environment for workers trying to find a place to live. Even though the “business” itself may not be brought into a town’s economic setting, attracting workers to live in your town will be a plus for it’s economy and will help in creating a more educated community.






Why co-working?
As telecommuting and freelancing have gained popularity, workers have found themselves taken out of the office environment and into the isolation of working at home. Over the last few years, many have chosen co-working as a way to fight that feeling of isolation. Co-workers will gather together as often as they'd like to work in the same space. Some may enjoy working at home most of the time, but one day a week they'd like to work around other people while some prefer to work around other people daily. Co-working groups provide not only a place for social interaction, but also opportunities for collaboration and creative inspiration. Without the strict rules of an office environment, many find that co-working provides them with a good balance of independence and social interaction.


Co-working Space: Cafés vs. Business Incubators
When trying to find a space to meet, co-workers often turn to cafés or business incubators. Cafés provide a relaxed atmosphere that is conducive to social interaction with fellow co-workers as well as access to wireless internet and lots of coffee, tea, and food without the cost of rent. Business incubators can provide the perks of an office environment and more privacy without the high rent prices as the costs are shared by a group of people or businesses. Wherever a co-working space is set up, it provides a social, collaborative setting for workers that they cannot find working at home alone.