Brain Drain

Brain drain is the process in which a state, such as New Mexico, loses its most educated and talented workforce to other states through migration for the lack of apparent opportunities. For New Mexico, this is a problem because the most highly skilled and competent individuals, such as STEM professionals, leave and contribute their expertise to other state economies. Brain drain is particularly distressing when the skilled workforce truly wants to stay in New Mexico, but cannot due to the perceived lack of opportunities for the highly skilled STEM workforce.

Currently, this is the case in New Mexico, which is seeing the economic effects and negative repercussions of brain drain, which include:

• Loss of tax revenue
• Loss of future entrepreneurs
• A shortage of important, highly skilled workers
• Lack of confidence in the economy
• Loss of innovative ideas