Banker's Hours
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9/3/2007
There's something to be said about being one of the largest banking capitals in the country, I'm just not sure what it is exactly.
On one hand a person can get an MBA in this town in their sleep. There are no shortage of commuter/working adult degree programs. On the other other hand, if you're not interested in high finance you'll come to know our local economy as "the land call centers built". Indeed, even with the banks the majority of those employed work in these large call centers with medical facilities, food outlets, dry cleaning - everything you need to never leave work.
Most of my 20 and 30-something friends have college educations and almost all of them find themselves "ghetto-ized" in the call center culture. Beyond BofA, Wachovia you'll find them low level supervisory roles with Sprint PCS, Allstate Insurance, Windstream Communications and everything the service industry field has to offer.
There is a solid quality of life here, though. However, one might find it a bit homogenous. Whether that turns you on or tunes you out depends on what side of the "dockers brigade" you fall, I suppose.
The non-khaki crowd finds it a bit difficult to find a niche but it can be found in varied degrees. There's a wonderful burlesque troop, a local bodaga-style hangout spot in The Common Market, the potential for diversity in n'hoods like Plaza Midwood and North DAvidson.
However, you'll also find a fractured and bickering public school system with questionable management -- and that effects you whether you have kids or not. And the local university level offerings are a bit myopic -- its business or teaching for the most part. A new for profit law school is yet to become ABA approved, there's no medical/dentistry/vet/professional schools and UNC-Charlotte has a reputation as a large, decentralized commuter campus devoid of collegiate spirit.
tressie | Charlotte, NC