Looking for the stories that matter most to Central Texas, I'm Jerry Kihanal, host of the Austin Signal, your daily dive into the news, music, sports, and culture shaping life in Austin.

We bring you reporting from trusted voices at KUT, KUTX, Texas Standard, and more all in one place. Tune in, stay informed, and get connected every day on the Austin Signal. Austin Signal, weekdays at one on KUT News, or on demand at KUT.org, or wherever you get your podcasts.

There's this idea in higher education that the best school for any given student is not necessarily the best known or the most prestigious or even the most rigorous. It is the one whose culture and courses are the best match for a student's abilities and ambitions.

The same thing is true when it comes to choosing where to live,

both right after we complete our education and for the rest of our working lives

and communities looking to attract

the most skilled workers to their local economy will need to match what those workers do and

how they want to live. From KERA in Dallas, this is think. I'm Chris Boyd. That process starts

with understanding what actually compels talented people to pick up and move to a new place.

But research demonstrates that the assets, many regions assume, are there big draws, the hip nightlife scene or a coolness factor,

a political climate that aligns with what top workers believe, even consistently excellent weather.

Those things are nowhere near the top of the list for people making choices about where to live.

Patience's Fairbrother is Senior Vice President of Talent Attraction at Development Counselors International,

which conducted a study titled Talent Wars.

Patients, welcome to think.

Thank you for having me. In the introduction to the

report on this study, you note that labor shortages are the new normal. Are those shortages

affecting every industry? Absolutely. We're experiencing what's being called a forever labor shortage,

and it's really due to a perfect storm of demographic conditions.

We have surging baby boomer retirements and fewer young people entering the workforce,

and we're expecting to see a shortfall of about 6 million workers by the end of the decade nationally here in the U.S. And it's certainly affecting all industries, some more than others.

Industries like healthcare construction,

...