Ryan Rehder addresses attendees at the Choose Idaho press conference in September 2014.

During his time in the U.S. Navy, Ryan Rehder experienced living and working in many areas of the country including Chicago, Charleston, S.C., upstate New York and Connecticut. Following his college graduation, Rehder had job prospects in Honolulu, Portland, OR, and Walnut Creek, CA. When it came time for Rehder to decide where he would continue his career and raise his family, he chose Idaho.

Rehder, a project engineer with Mountain Water Works in Boise, was drawn to a career in Idaho primarily because of the small company atmosphere available here.

“I understood the risk associated with a small company, but I also understood the potential rewards,” Rehder said. “There is excellent opportunity for motivated individuals.”

In the workplace, Rehder said he appreciates his colleagues because of their shared values and rural roots. However, it wasn’t just the company culture that brought Rehder to Idaho.

“Beyond professional opportunities are the personal opportunities,” Rehder said.

“The rural lifestyle, right outside the city, affords my kids the opportunity to be taught hard work and self-reliance,” Rehder said.

Additionally, Rehder pointed to the expansive outdoor opportunities available in Idaho, low taxes and cost of living, ideal weather conditions and individual freedoms.

Did you know one out of five Idaho employers are hiring in 2015? Choose Idaho for your next career move and let one of our recruiters match you to available job opportunities in Idaho.

Idaho residents who would like to see family and friends stay or move back to Idaho for work are also being urged to go to chooseidaho.gov, send an electronic postcard to their loved ones and invite them to upload their résumés.

A professional Idaho Department of Labor recruiter will personally respond and look for opportunities that match the job seeker’s skill set.

Choose Idaho is an employee retention and recruiting initiative designed to connect incoming résumés with Idaho employers. Idaho Department of Labor recruiters are working with 552 clients and so far, have found potential matches for 138 job seekers and 229 employers since the program launched in September.

Paper postcards can also be picked up at any of the department’s 25 local offices throughout the state and can be ordered for distribution at conventions, college and university homecomings and holiday and alumni association events.

– Tabitha Bower, tabitha.bower@labor.idaho.gov