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Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

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  • Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

    One of the reasons Hawai'i's unemployment rate is so low is because the cream of the crop of your employable professional citizenry is fleeing the 'aina for the greener pastures of the Mainland, and they're being lured by signing bonuses and lower costs of living. So there may be fewer unemployed people in Hawai'i, but you're not going to have the best of the professional people (like nurses) available to take care of you!

    Miulang

    Read more: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../bz/bz02a.html
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

  • #2
    Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

    Miulang, the "brain drain" is a perennial topic. Check out the Star-Bulletin's special series on it from 1999. Not much has changed.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

      Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
      Miulang, the "brain drain" is a perennial topic. Check out the Star-Bulletin's special series on it from 1999. Not much has changed.
      Sad, yeah?
      "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

        I don't dispute the "brain drain" theory (although I question it just a little--the theory assumes that Hawaii's "best and brightest" are motivated primarily by money, but I know a lot of people who selected their respective fields based on other considerations. If they'll move to the mainland for a mere income boost, I wonder how bright they truly are!), but there are other factors to keep in mind:

        First, Hawaii's economy is and perhaps always will be tourism-driven, meaning we will forever have a need to fill service-type positions. This is not a bad thing. Our steady influx of immigrants from around the Pacific rim ensures that the high demand for workers in the service industry will probably always be met. And it's the kind of thing that keeps Hawaii what it is--diverse and interesting and ever-changing.

        Second, someone's got to teach the children of these immigrants, and Hawaii's primary state university already has one of the most highly esteemed programs in teaching English as a second language. With a serious commitment to educating these children (and paying those who would educate them), the "best and brightest" could be convinced to pursue the relative job security and hypothetically excellent pay an already rewarding career could bring.

        I find it mildly insulting that "best and brightest" is a term used almost exclusively to describe people gifted in the fields of science, techonology, and mathematics. Some of the world's most brilliant social workers, teachers, and needle-exchange program administrators live in Hawaii. If I know as much about education and literature as some tech-savvy whiz knows about his or field, he or she is considered smarter than me, and that's simply not true. I know far, far more teachers who could have been brilliant scientists or mathematicians than I do scientists or mathematicians who can motivate a fourteen-year-old to seriously analyze a Petrarchan sonnet.
        But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
        GrouchyTeacher.com

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

          What annoys me most about the constant moaning over the "brain drain" is that the loudest complainers are the ones who have left and haven't come back. "Oh, I wish I could move back to the islands, but I can't because no one in Honolulu could ever match the $100K salary I get here in Podunk. Woe is me!" Well guess what, folks. Hawai'i is a small market, and that's never going to change. We have a limited supply of everything: people, resources, and money. If you want the state to move away from the two-tiered service economy that we're saddled with, and grow a better, wealthier, more equitable one, it does no good to moan about it from afar. You've got to move back and work for change.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

            Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
            If you want the state to move away from the two-tiered service economy that we're saddled with, and grow a better, wealthier, more equitable one, it does no good to moan about it from afar. You've got to move back and work for change.
            Yeah! What he said!
            But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
            GrouchyTeacher.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

              Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
              What annoys me most about the constant moaning over the "brain drain" is that the loudest complainers are the ones who have left and haven't come back. "Oh, I wish I could move back to the islands, but I can't because no one in Honolulu could ever match the $100K salary I get here in Podunk. Woe is me!" Well guess what, folks. Hawai'i is a small market, and that's never going to change. We have a limited supply of everything: people, resources, and money. If you want the state to move away from the two-tiered service economy that we're saddled with, and grow a better, wealthier, more equitable one, it does no good to moan about it from afar. You've got to move back and work for change.
              Eh, Bruddah, das right! I stay making da kine plans to do just dat. Oni one lido eeency problem. I no can afford to live ova dere widout working 2 jobs, yeah? No moa da kine technical jobs foa me ova dere. I gotta go work 2 service jobs foa even keep one roof ova da head, anden. I just gotta go convince da ohana to give me one hale, den I tink I can live OK. But da housing prices stay so lolo right now, cannot justify moving ova dere. If I move back, I like work to make changes, but where I going find da time if I gotta be working 2 jobs, like plenny kine guys ova dere gotta do now?

              Miulang
              "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                Well now, Miulang, dass da problem, no? Ey, nobody said was gon be easy!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                  Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
                  Well now, Miulang, dass da problem, no? Ey, nobody said was gon be easy!
                  You got it, and it ain't no steenkin Toyota, either!

                  Actually, wen I move back, I like go teach middo school kids. Dey still young enough dat you can maybe teach dem to tink differently den da TV and da current culture tells dem is cool, Teechas no make squat in Hawai'i, which is a real shame because da teechas (kumu) are da ones who now responsible foa teaching da kids because da parents no moa enough time foa spend wit da keiki because dey all too busy working 2 jobs so da keeds can get brand new cars in high school.

                  Miulang
                  Last edited by Miulang; September 23, 2004, 09:48 AM.
                  "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                    If I can move back, I don't want to live in the city. I want to live like Craig...be as self-sufficient as I can: grow as much of my food as I can, recycle, live simply. What I also want to do (depending on where I end up) is to cultivate native Hawaiian plants so they don't go extinct. Hawaii is losing too much of the flora and fauna that once was so prevalent because of encroachment by development. Then in my free time I will work to change things...I've become a slow or controlled-growth advocate, and I certainly am in favor of preserving land that has archeological/historical significance. I don't want Hawaii to become even more like the Mainland. I know I can give back to Hawaii, it just can't be for about 5 more years. I hope by then there will be something worth saving left.

                    Miulang
                    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                      Hawaii needs to get competitive, and lure the big businesses here.

                      The state is saying that we have an opportunity to be the high tech center of the Pacific, but we don't even have any jobs nor the space to have them.

                      The only reason why I don't just pack my bags and move to the mainland, is because I have family here that needs my computer knowledge and second opinion to do things.
                      How'd I get so white and nerdy?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                        Ian Lind highlighted this article from the Sunday Honolulu Advertiser about the realities behind Hawaii's highly-touted unemployment rate. I thought it was relevant to this discussion.

                        Hawaii's workers struggle with low pay, low-level jobs
                        Dan Nakaso, Honolulu Advertiser, Oct. 3, 2004
                        A 2.9 percent unemployment rate means nothing to Randy and Billie Lueder, two college-educated, full-time workers who are frustrated with Hawai'i's job market... The Lueders, who were both raised on O'ahu and were married in August, are tempted by higher-paying, more challenging jobs on the Mainland where they can buy a decent home — maybe even on only one salary.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                          Originally posted by Miulang
                          Eh, Bruddah, das right! I stay making da kine plans to do just dat. Oni one lido eeency problem. I no can afford to live ova dere widout working 2 jobs, yeah? No moa da kine technical jobs foa me ova dere. I gotta go work 2 service jobs foa even keep one roof ova da head, anden. I just gotta go convince da ohana to give me one hale, den I tink I can live OK. But da housing prices stay so lolo right now, cannot justify moving ova dere. If I move back, I like work to make changes, but where I going find da time if I gotta be working 2 jobs, like plenny kine guys ova dere gotta do now?

                          Miulang
                          I am in that situation now! I left Hawai'i to move to Australia where my hubby is from, in hopes of having a better quality of life since all the kids (we got 4) are grown and out of the house (2 are on the mainland as I type this and are saying the same thing as you and the other 2 are struggling to get by, they are in condo together, 1 has a family the other is single. Altogether there are 3 incomes streaming in.)

                          After finding out, the hard way, that immigration would take another year and a half to get through without the possibility of my VISA being extended, again, I had to return home while hubby had to leave a good paying job there due to our (U.S.)immigration requirements that would jeopardize his current status. It was a painful and costly lesson yes, but currently he is unable to get any sort of decent job (he has 20+ plus years of Administration and Employment Consulting experience). I feel for him because he is a good and hard worker given an opportunity and is currently applying/begging for any work at this point (he does have some manufacturing experience but nothing that is available in Hawai'i) . I work 1 part time job and also am starting a full time job in a couple of weeks (my brother's company). I don't know how we would "make it" were it not for us staying with relatives and helping pay for living expenses.

                          I have 20+ years of Social Service and Admin. experience as well, but, currently am working in the service industry as an office manager for a pest control company and soon my brother's concrete/grout pumping company. I don't see us buying a home anytime soon with the exhorbitant cost of houses these days and still have an eye toward moving to the mainland in future. It's definitely not something I want to do (moving to the mainland that is) as I am hoping to retire back home on the big island with my mo'opuna's running around in the yard when this struggle is all said and done with. It's hard yes, a constant struggle, but I have to keep my eye on that goal and keep striving to that end. So, "he go" as my big island family would say. It'll all be worth it... this I know! (Sorry for being so winded, e kala mai. LOL)
                          Last edited by Tutulady; October 6, 2004, 09:36 AM.
                          He leo wale no...

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                            Originally posted by Miulang
                            If I can move back, I don't want to live in the city. I want to live like Craig...be as self-sufficient as I can: grow as much of my food as I can, recycle, live simply. What I also want to do (depending on where I end up) is to cultivate native Hawaiian plants so they don't go extinct. Hawaii is losing too much of the flora and fauna that once was so prevalent because of encroachment by development. Then in my free time I will work to change things...I've become a slow or controlled-growth advocate, and I certainly am in favor of preserving land that has archeological/historical significance. I don't want Hawaii to become even more like the Mainland. I know I can give back to Hawaii, it just can't be for about 5 more years. I hope by then there will be something worth saving left.

                            Miulang
                            And at that time, if you no find um, just go replant stuff anyway. No worry, going get stuff left that's worth it... hahd head people like us ovah hea going keep fighting fo keep what liddo bit kine stuff get leff. In fack, us guys stay get da kine, reforestation project going on in Nanakuli an da Wai'anae cost sai. Not ony dat, I know plenny peepose stay do da same on da uddah islands too!
                            He leo wale no...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Hawaii's "Brain Drain"?

                              One thing I learned struggling on Oahu was that the only brain that was draining was my own.

                              Miulang is right about the two jobs thing. I worked two jobs for over 20-years. While I worked my wife stayed home to watch the keiki so they would grow up knowing at least one of us was there for them anytime of the day. That seems to have made the difference in how we raised our kids. No problems socially or intellectually. The only problem was that I never had the chance to see my kids as they grew up because I worked 7-days a week to afford the simple luxuries for my family.

                              I bought a video camera and told my wife to take as much video as possible. When I came home at night I would read a story to my kids and tuck them in. That's all I saw of them in the flesh! Later on I would spend an hour or so just talking to my wife going over everything that happened that day, then I'd sit and pop in the tape and watch my kids grow up on the TV screen. I tell you one night I said to myself, "This is no way to watch your kids grow up!" My kids were learning to walk and talk and I wasn't there to witness it. I got six kids!

                              When we decided to buy a house on Oahu I knew that once we signed that mortgage papers, that would seal my fate and I'd never be there for my kids. That's when I looked at the Big Island and liked what I saw.

                              I gave up my dual careers in the gas utility industry and radio, bought a house cash here in Kea'au. My wife had just completed her bachelor's degree in early childhood education and when we moved here she went online and will be completing her masters in the same field from Chaminade University. In the meantime she got a job as the Headstart Site Manager for East Hawaii making less than half of what I made from just my Gas Company job.

                              With her income and our home purchased in full we didn't have the cost of living we had in Honolulu. My wife told me I could retire while she went to work. In doing so I had the opportunity to raise my then 4-month old son Jesse and witness his development the way I wanted to see it in my other five kids.

                              Life is so much better now since moving away from that rat race in Honolulu and living a more simpler and peaceful lifestyle. My kids love the open space, my wife is enjoying her new job and I'm watching my kids grow up.

                              I look at my friends who are still struggling in Honolulu and I realized that their careers were driving their lives. They worked just to keep a roof over their heads and feed their kids. Some left for the mainland some stayed and struggled. Either way they aren't happy because they had to do something they would have preferred not to. It was either work too hard and stay or move and miss the local feeling of Hawaii.

                              It's only a brain drain if you decide that you want to continue your career track elsewhere. For me I downsized my ambitions and I realized I didn't have to earn as much to achieve it. Why climb that ladder of success if stress is what you get from it? I had co-workers work their entire lives then retire expecting this rewarding life. Then they die from old age.

                              People say work hard while you're young. Why? So you can play when you're old? You'll be dead by then. I've been to Hosoi and Borthwick mortuary in Downtown Honolulu too many times to pay my respects to my role models...retired Gas Company workers who worked too hard and died for it. At 44 I cut my losses and decided before I get too old I better start enjoying life before life cuts me off. That meant a re-analysis of my barometer of success. I'm not going to bust my okole to reach a level of success dictated by my boss.

                              In life you're your own boss and you are the only one that can tell you what you gotta do to be successful. I'm so glad I cut that corporate choke hold on my life with bosses young enough to be my kids telling me what to do! I'm in control of my life again and it feels good! Success is what you make of it, and I feel I'm successful now, life's good, what more can I say
                              Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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