About Fuse

What IS Fuse Duluth?

  Fuse Duluth is the premier program for young professionals in the Twin Ports, presented by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce. 

In short, we work in support of our mission: connecting young people to strengthen our community.

Fuse offers fun, energetic, and enlightening events centered on networking, education, and discussion on issues that matter to young professionals. With no formal membership, you become a “member” simply by participating in the program— coming to events, serving on one of our action teams, or taking part in College Connection, our mentorship program that pairs students with local professionals. 

Fuse is a valuable resource for young professionals looking to get connected, for employers seeking to recruit local talent or help their employees get plugged in, and for businesses that want to connect or build a presence with the 20 to 40 crowd.  By our definition, you're a "young professional" if you're roughly 20-40 and you take your job seriously and want to be a contributing member of our community. It's that simple. We welcome Bankers, lawyers, teachers, artists, entrepreneurs and assistants. Being an inclusive organization is a big priority for Fuse.

Would you, a friend, employee, or co-worker like to get involved with Fuse Duluth? Want to get in the loop with all we’ve got going on, through our eNewsletter, the Fuse Flash? Interested in partnership or advertising opportunities with the program? Drop us a line- we’re friendly! Email lwilkinson@duluthchamber.com for more info, or to get connected!

Who are Fusers?

Fusers are 15% 18-25 years old, 26% 26-30 years old, 35% 31-35 years old, 18% 36-40 years old, and 7% over 40.  All of these fusers have not always lived in the Twin Ports area.  Close to 80% of the areas Y-Pro's have lived somewhere else.  78% of Y-pros work 40-50 hours a week.  73% make 35k or more per year with also 40% of those making over 50k per year.  The most important assets of a job for Fusers are those that offer: a work/life balance, a positive environment, the ability to work independently, challenge, and a place with a vission/mission that the Y-Pros can relate to.  57% expect to live in the area for over a decade.  There are many factors that influence these Fusers to stay in the area.  The most significant include: a high quality of life, access to recreational/outdoor activities, access to cultural and entertainment activities, community involvement, compensation and benefits, and a good K-12 education system for children.

Here are some quotes from some of our Fusers who commented on "How can the area attract young professionals like you?"

  • "Contrary to popular belief, Duluth does have culture"
  • "I'm here, so I already believe that the community is very attractive and a great place to live!"
  • "Duluth has made big strides since I left and that is a part of the reason I came back."

Young Professional Organizations, like Fuse, play a critical role in communities’ efforts to attract and retain talent.

  1. YPOs Help Stem Brain Drain- One of the key questions young people ask when moving to a community is, “Will I fit in?”  Communities with Young Professionals Organizations have a ready response.  Most YPOs are founded to help young professionals connect to each other and to the community.
  2. YPOs Cultivate Future Leaders- Let’s face it; the boardrooms in many of our communities are filled with people who have “been there and done that.”  YPOs are preparing a new generation to lead with vision and passion, and to refuel those boardrooms with new energy and initiatives.   And when YPs feel they can make a difference in their community, they are 2-3 times as likely to stay.

With an estimated 75,000 job openings in our area in the coming decade, we're working hard to help attract and retain the kind of talent and ingenuity that outstanding young professionals of every stripe bring to the table.

Fuse makes great strides to help current and potential residents of our outstanding community find a place.  We offer YPs the chance to mingle with other YPs at our events.  Fuse also holds educational events that enable people from all different backgrounds and professional lives to come together and learn about specific areas of concern for our community.

The next generation has a “Live First work second” ethic.  Unlike their parents, the next generation does not simply follow the paycheck or the company.  Often, they pick a place to live and then find a job.  U.S. cities must develop and emphasize the quality-of-life amenities, i.e. the arts, public parks and trails, a strong after-5 scene, that attract the next generation.   That is exactly what Fuse does-- we elevate our community and our young people, and help get the word out about what an incomparable place we live in.

What are the consequences if Young Professionals leave the area?

While many Fusers plan to stay in the community, a sizable minority (13%) plan to leave in the near future: 8% plan to stay for only 1-4 years, and 5% plan to leave within the next year.  What kind of impact could this have on the community?

Using a standard economic impact calculator of 1.2 we can see that when a YP leaves Duluth, it makes a $60,360 impact per person.  In other words, Duluth will lose an average of $60,360 for each young professional who leaves.  With 13% of young professionals planning to leave within 4 years, and a population of 23,800 young professionals total, Duluth stands to lose approximately $187 million over the next 4 years.

Most Fusers are in fact transplants.  These transplants make up 52% of the Fuse population.  Being that a little over half of Fusers are transplants, we can definitley see that Fuse is truly a beneficial piece to the Duluth Community and with a bit of luck and continued support from our community, Fuse will continue to grow and bring in new young talent.