State will bleed young talent unless attractive jobs offered: Expert

If employers do rise to the occasion, the outcomes for Tasmanians will be improved because it will prevent many young people being over-skilled while managing a "crippling" HECS debt, Dr Denny said.

"In Tasmania we have what I call a polarised workforce, where we have jobs at the high end, skilled, level requiring higher levels of education and then we have those at the other end that don't require more than a certificate II qualification," she said.

"There's almost disincentive to pursue further education in Tasmania if you want to stay here and get a job."

Meanwhile, there are plenty of employment opportunities available and employers are begging for skilled staff, according to Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) president Claire Smith.

"Most members and employers I speak with are telling me they cannot find skilled staff," she said.

"Currently there are more than 200 professional services jobs (for example, accounting, legal, IT, science, banking and financial services) listed on Seek, many of which have been advertised for a while or re-listed because we just don't have the right people with the right skills to fill these jobs."

At 33 years old, Ulverstone woman Laura Wiggers said she was surprised by the professional opportunities she has found on the Coast.

"I have personally found there are fantastic opportunities here, particularly in local government," she said.

Ms Wiggers has qualifications in business and marketing and heads up the North-West Chapter of We Rise Networking.

"Once I turned my focus away from private employers, I found wonderful opportunities."

Dr Denny said local government was a classic example of an industry that offers good opportunities for career progression.

She said that many Tasmanians who do look for work interstate or overseas simply don't return to the island because they would not be paid at an equivalent rate to what they are offered elsewhere.

Dr Denny encouraged employers to think seriously about how they can attract and retain the staff they need.

"Because of the aging workforce, we're going to have around 100,000 people retiring from the workforce over the next 15 years, so it's a really good opportunity for us to ensure that our young people are aware of what jobs are going to need to be replaced," she said.

"They need to know what career pathways are there for them. And then [they need] the opportunity to pursue that chosen career in Tasmania and to not feel like they need to leave the state."

"It's a romantic ideology that young Tasmanians leave and then come back to raise their families."