Building Florida’s workforce pipeline for a stronger, more competitive economy

Florida’s economy is expanding, but this growth brings challenges. While businesses grow and new residents arrive daily, employers consistently report that the talent pipeline is not keeping pace with industry demand.

Florida has made significant progress in aligning education and workforce systems to meet the needs of a changing economy. Both the challenges and advancements require urgent attention.

Talent is increasingly replacing tax incentives as the primary tool for economic development.

In Florida’s 12 target industries — including logistics, manufacturing, aerospace and aviation, life sciences, information technology, financial and professional services, energy, agtech, research and development, maritime, military and defense, and corporate headquarters — demand for skilled workers continues to rise.

These sectors drive innovation, attract investment, and strengthen Florida’s long-term competitiveness. However, employers still report persistent shortages of middle- and high-skill talent.

This gap is not a future risk; it is already constraining targeted growth.

We must strengthen the connection between education and industry now. Employers should be involved in designing education systems, training programs, credentialing pathways, and work-based learning opportunities from the outset. Apprenticeships, internships, and industry-recognized certifications are essential for closing skills gaps in high-demand fields.

To keep Florida competitive for business relocation, expansion, and entrepreneurship, workforce development must be treated as core economic infrastructure. This requires aligning education pathways with employer demand earlier and more consistently, from middle school through postsecondary and industry certification programs.

Florida is already seeing encouraging momentum. Schools, colleges and universities, employers, workforce Boards, such as CareerSource Florida, and regional partners are increasingly collaborating to create pathways that connect students directly to careers. State investments in career and technical education are helping expand access to high-value credentials. But the scale of need still outpaces the system’s current capacity.

At the same time, Florida’s population growth continues to outstrip many other states. This growth brings opportunity, but also puts pressure on wages, housing, infrastructure, and talent availability. Without a more coordinated approach to workforce development, the gap between job creation and job readiness will continue to widen.

The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida 2030 Blueprint has long emphasized that talent is the foundation of long-term economic resilience. A strong economy is not defined only by how many jobs are created, but by how well Floridians are prepared to fill them and advance within them. Currently, for every 100 open jobs, 116 Floridians are looking for work.

These discussions and more will take center stage at the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit on June 23, where business leaders, educators, and policymakers will focus on how Florida can better align education and training pathways and move from awareness of the gap to measurable action.

The opportunity is in front of us. The Solution Summit is where many of the practical and scalable solutions for creating America’s best workforce will be shared, sharpened, and advanced, and where Florida’s next steps on workforce alignment will take shape.

Ultimately, Florida’s future competitiveness will be determined by how effectively we connect learning to earning and whether we are prepared to scale the solutions that are already working into a unified workforce strategy.

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Mark Wilson serves as president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Florida Chamber Foundation.