Gen Z is making it clear: the Land is the spot to build a future. 

New college graduate retention data from the Cleveland Talent Alliance tells a powerful story: 51% of Class of 2024 graduates stayed in the region, up from a 47% baseline in 2020.  

Each percentage point represents more than 300 new graduates choosing Cleveland to launch their careers.  

The effort to retain young grads is a collaborative effort driven by the Cleveland Talent Alliance, a consortium led by GCP and Destination Cleveland focused on attracting and retaining talent in Cleveland. CTA efforts include a Cleveland-specific Jobs Platform, communications to students, and events to connect students to opportunities, the city and one another.  

“These numbers show what we know: Cleveland has both great opportunities and a great community.  When students see it, they stay. Cleveland appeals to the next generation,” said Baiju R. Shah, President and CEO of Greater Cleveland Partnership, a founding member of CTA.  

Since CTA launched in 2022, retention has moved consistently upward: 47% (2021), 48% (2022), 50% (2023) and now 51% (2024). 

This steady rise isn’t luck; it’s the result of a collective effort to make Cleveland a destination for young professionals. 

“This growth reflects what we hear from students every day: when they experience Cleveland’s opportunities, energy and community firsthand, they want to stay. Retention doesn’t happen by chance. It happens because we’re showing students that Cleveland wants them, values them, and has a place for them,” adds Kara Carter, GCP Vice President, Talent Solutions.  

This progress reflects Cleveland’s growing recognition as a destination for emerging professionals and the impact of CTA’s coordinated efforts. 

A cornerstone of this work is the newly launched Jobs Platform, which is demonstrating strong early engagement.  

In less than a month, more than 350 students are already actively exploring local jobs and internships across 2,200 companies (from small businesses to large corporations), while 35 employers are using the platform to directly recruit Cleveland-interested talent.  

But connecting students to opportunities goes beyond just job postings, as Nina Lafko, an early career recruiter at Park Place Technologies, explains: 

“The social events CTA hosts are just as important. Going to a Guardians game or Summer in the Land lets students network, but it also shows them Cleveland as a whole. When they go to something like the Winter Career Expo and see 100 booths, it shows them people are building real careers and lives here. It opens their eyes to how many career options Cleveland has.” 

Her own journey underscores why internships are so valuable. 

“I’m from Pittsburgh, but I came to Cleveland for college at Baldwin-Wallace. I interned at Park Place, and that’s how I got my full-time job here. Being someone who wasn’t from Cleveland but chose to stay and build my career here really helps me in my role. I’m so attached to the program because my own success came from what Park Place does for students.” 

Park Place will be at CTA’s next major event, the Winter Career Expo on December 17, where they will be among the companies recruiting both summer and full-time talent.  That event is designed for both college students from regional universities and those returning home for the holidays. 

Lafko’s experience underscores just how powerful local opportunities and internships can be. And now, the Cleveland Talent Alliance is making those kinds of connections even easier. 

 “A lot of students simply don’t know what Cleveland has to offer — and that’s where the Cleveland Talent Alliance is invaluable,” she says.  “Whether they’re from Cleveland or go to school away, CTA helps them discover that Cleveland has real career paths and employers who want them.” 

 Top photo: Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing Graduate Diploma Ceremony, 2023. Credit: Annie O'Neill

Interested in attending the Winter Career Expo? More info and registration for both employers and job seekers here: Winter Career Expo 2025 - Greater Cleveland Partnership