Report: Lansing's creative class is growing

By Rob South, WKAR

EAST LANSING, MI –

Jobs in the creative sector are growing faster than other areas of mid-Michigan's economy. A report released Tuesday by the Lansing Area Economic Partnership and Capital Area Michigan Works says jobs in the professional, scientific and technical service sectors grew seven times faster since 1990 than all other job sectors.

Doug Stites is the director of Capital area Michigan works. He says the region's education opportunities have helped foster the growth.

"One of the things were blessed with is the ability to produce talent in these areas, in engineering and law and so-forth," he explains. "I don't know that we always understand or think about were blessed with. We don't have to sit around thinking 'Well how do we create and educational institution to produce talent?' That is one of our over-ridding strengths here."

Creative sector jobs make up about 6% of the work force in the Lansing area, but are among the highest paying at $60,000 a year, on average.

reWorking Michigan
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