Every year, Michigan graduates thousands of bright, capable students from its colleges and universities. And every year, too many of them pack their cars and head for Chicago, New York, or the coasts. The narrative often goes something like this: “We need to make Michigan more attractive so graduates want to stay.”

The truth we do not talk about enough is that retention is not just a state problem. It is an employer problem.

We cannot wait until a student is a new hire to make them feel invested in staying. By that point, they have often built connections and sometimes job offers elsewhere. Retention starts long before the offer letter, often years before, while a student is still on campus deciding where they will plant their roots.

The Power of Early Investment

Students who have meaningful work experience with local employers during their college years are far more likely to stay after graduation. Why?

• They build relationships inside Michigan companies.
• They gain professional skills that tie directly to local career opportunities.
• They begin to see themselves thriving here.

Internships, co-operative education, and work-based learning are more than just résumé builders. They are retention strategies.

Why Employers Must Lead the Charge

Too often, employers wait for career fairs or post-graduation recruiting to “catch” talent. By that point, competition is fierce, relocation offers are on the table, and Michigan loses another bright mind to another state’s economy.

Instead, employers should cultivate talent from the first semester students step onto campus. This can include:

• Partnering with professors to embed real-world projects into coursework.
• Offering micro-internships that fit into busy academic schedules.
• Building mentoring relationships that last for years instead of weeks.

When employers show up early and consistently, they do more than fill their hiring pipeline. They create loyal advocates for living and working in Michigan.

The Call to Action

If you are an employer, here is the challenge: do not ask “How can we get students to accept our job offers?” Ask “What can we do now to make sure they never want to leave?”

Retention begins before graduation. It begins with you.

At Emerge, our work centers on this belief. We connect employers, schools, and students to make Michigan the place where young talent does not just launch their careers but builds their lives. If we want to solve Michigan’s retention problem, we must start where the talent is. That is on campus, right now.