This commentary is by Kevin Chu, Executive Director of the Vermont Futures Project Personal growth is universally celebrated. We encourage people to pursue education, seek professional development, and advance in their endeavors. We applaud entrepreneurs who take risks, innovate, and build successful enterprises. We praise people who overcome adversity and become more resilient in the … Read more
Montpelier, VT (January 29, 2025) –Yesterday, the Vermont Futures Project announced the launch of its much-anticipated Economic Action Plan, a comprehensive, data-informed roadmap designed to address Vermont’s workforce and housing challenges and secure a prosperous future for the state. It was shaped by public engagement with over 5,000 Vermonters across all 14 counties. The plan … Read more
In 2021, Governor Phil Scott first established the second week of May as Inclusion Week. Annually, the event recognizes that the State of Vermont condemns discrimination in all forms and welcomes all people who want to live, work, and visit Vermont. The Vermont Declaration of Inclusion is an ongoing grassroots initiative advancing diversity, equity, and … Read more
This is the last section of a four-part series that explores how population changes impact the Vermont economy. Previous posts explored the economic impacts of age composition, workforce participation and the age dependency ratios in Vermont. Part four considers how consumption rates impact the everyday economic life of Vermonters. Lifetime Consumption Patterns How we consume goods … Read more
It’s that time of the year again! United Van Lines and U-Haul have published their annual studies on migration patterns. We begin with our interpretation of the study results followed by summaries of the data below. It’s important to remember that these studies analyze proprietary data based only on the utilization of their respective services. … Read more
Written by Amanda Van Vranken An Unbalanced Equation Chances are, you’ve heard about Vermont’s workforce gap. Simply put, the state’s supply of workers isn’t meeting the demand for existing and future jobs. The economy suffers when this workforce equation is out of balance. This is being experienced in real-time by employers that have multiple job … Read more
FILL IN THE BLANKS Vermont is a ______ state to do business, and it is ranked _______ compared to other states in our region. Were your answers on the positive or negative end of the spectrum? What factors did you consider when coming up with your answers? COMPARE YOUR ANSWERS The 2022 results of CNBC’s … Read more
A common economic saying predicts that “our destiny lies in our population trends.” Vermont’s population challenges have become apparent to anyone waiting for restaurant seating or for an appointment with an electrician. Some of this trend is due to early retirement by an older workforce, while other factors are also playing a role in the … Read more
