A new study by the Brookings Institute found a connection between the number of workers with more education and the longer term unemployment rate. The analysis also found that employer demand contributed about 75% of the increase in the unemployment rate in metropolitan areas during the recession. Detroit ranked 91st on an index ranking the supply of educated workers. The report concluded that the economy would not begin to add more jobs unless employer demand was increased, and recommended that cities like Detroit try to attract more educated workers and hold on to the ones they had.
See "Detroit 91st in job loss study", Katherine Yung, Detroit Free Press, September 8, 2011