According to economists, more people are expected to move to Plano than any other community in North Texas over the next several years thanks in part to corporate relocation. Liberty Mutual is consolidating several offices at Legacy West, bringing with it 5,000 jobs by late 2017. The 240-acre mixed-use project slated to open in late 2016 and will include a 265,000-square-foot complex for FedEx Office and Toyota's North American headquarters. FedEx is moving about 1,200 workers from its Dallas Galleria complex and other locations into the new corporate headquarters, while Toyota is expected to open in late 2016 or early 2017 with room for about 4,000 jobs, some of which will be filled by relocated employees.

Granite Properties also announced it is expanding its foothold in Granite Park, a 90-acre mixed-use office park located at the Dallas North Tollway and SH 121. Heartland Payment Systems has leased three floors in one of the new buildings, and communications firm Mitel has leased two floors in the complex, according to representatives with Granite Properties.



In March, the city's existing workforce received its own accolade when WalletHub.com named Plano the third hardest working city in the country. Many leaders see this, as well as the new wave of jobs on the way, as signs of future successes.

"I'm going to have to extend my work days from 17 hours to 18 hours; third place is not good enough for Plano," said Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere jokingly. "So far, Plano's low unemployment rate and net influx [of jobs] is [partly due] to the number of migrant people from other states who want to come here."

Laying the groundwork

Many residents thought it was "insanity" when Plano annexed farmland along the northwestern side of the Dallas North Tollway in the late 1980s, said Bernard Weinstein, a business economist at Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business.

"It certainly turned out to be a success story," Weinstein said. "Plenty of people back then were unhappy, not just because of the cost it would impose on the municipal government, but many said it would [also] change the character of Plano. The leaders then understood that the Dallas-Fort Worth area would continue to grow, and in a couple of decades Plano would be right in the heart of everything."

Business follows people, a factor that contributed to Plano's ability to thrive in later years, Weinstein added. Aside from flattened home prices and a slight increase in unemployment, Plano seemed to be relatively unaffected by the Great Recession of 2008-2010, weathering the crisis better than any other community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Weinstein said.

"Plano is an incredible success story. I've seen it develop for the past 40 years," Weinstein said. "More people are working in Plano than actually living in Plano. It's one of the largest employment centers in the entire Metroplex. More people will work in Plano than in downtown Dallas."

"The big decision Plano made years ago was that it did not want to be just a bedroom community—it wanted to be an employment center as well," Weinstein said. "It's [now] a large community with an excellent public school system, which makes Plano a desirable place for professionals."

Plano's future job market

With companies like Liberty Mutual opting to remain tight-lipped about the type of jobs it will be bringing and with the city bound by nondisclosure agreements, it is unclear what potential employees can expect to see in terms of job qualifications.

"Companies continue to exhibit [a] high demand for an educated workforce in areas of technology, finance, accounting and engineering (including software)," said Sally Bane, executive director of the Plano Economic Development Department.

Weinstein predicted many of the new jobs coming to Plano will be a favorable mix of levels and salaries, with perhaps 10 to 15 percent for highly paid managers and professionals. Others areas could include mid-range administrative positions with average annual salaries in the $50,000 range, Weinstein said.

"We're certainly not talking about minimum wage jobs," he said.

Employees who relocate with these companies will enjoy the extra money due to Plano's low cost of living, compared to places like California, Weinstein added, a trend he expects to continue over the next decade.

Importance of education

So how can the existing work force remain competitive? According to community leaders, the key is education, and one example is Plano ISD's Academy High School. The academy is a project-based learning community that fosters a professional environment, creativity and empowerment for students to collaborate and compete in a rapidly changing world.

"It creates a dual path for some young folks who are not necessarily destined to go to college," Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere said. "Collin College has [also] proven to be an extremely flexible and innovative educational partner to help us meet the demands of the workforce."

Collin College also offers university options with many different programs and transfer options, said Lisa Vasquez, vice president of public relations and college development.

"Every two years, we do a community survey and ask some very general questions about the college. The request is consistently, 'When are you going to offer a bachelor's degree?'" said Vasquez. "It's probably a reflection of who lives here in Collin County, which has a very high educational attainment rate."

As time goes on, Collin College President Neil Matkin said the college would be focusing on making stronger connections with local industries. The college has already worked with Texas Instruments on programs to support the workforce.

"As we get the strategic planning process underway and update our demographic data, you can expect to see other programs coming down the pike," Matkin said.

Community connected

As the city's job market expands and evolves, the Plano Chamber of Commerce has also experienced growth. In addition to chamber membership, charitable outreach and leadership programs are other ways employers can differentiate themselves to current and prospective employees, said Jamee Jolly, Plano Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. Time spent volunteering for local causes have become just as important as short-term disability or dental plans in today's job market, she said.

"With increased employment opportunities, there will be more competition for the best and brightest, but the talented workforce in our area is strong enough to support the influx," Jolly said. "Students graduating out of local schools and going off to college now have the opportunity to return to North Texas to a robust employment center with endless opportunities, no matter what the industry or specialty."