Working Together for Florida’s Future Economy and Workforce

Co-Authored By: Mark Wilson, President, Florida Chamber of Commerce & Foundation and Adrienne Johnston, President & CEO, CareerSource Florida

When it comes to Florida’s economy and potential, Florida leads the nation in several ways. Thanks to investments in infrastructure, workforce development, and a business-friendly environment under Gov. Ron DeSantis, we are national leaders in job growth. We have a low unemployment rate and a high rate of new business formations, and we are the #1 state for net in-migration, attracting people from other states due to favorable economic conditions and quality of life. 

Our goal is to maximize this potential by ensuring our workforce and industries advance in sync. CareerSource Florida, the state’s designated organization for workforce policy and investment, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the state’s leading voice for businesses, are collaborating to support the businesses and workers of our state through innovative strategies. 

Our organizations recognize that talent is the most important tool in any economic development toolkit. We are actively working to identify the skills and credentials that will be in demand over the next decade to align our education and workforce systems to prepare Floridians for these jobs.  

To achieve this, it is essential that students and job seekers acquire the skills that employers will need. Given the current low unemployment and a limited labor force, it’s crucial for more Florida residents to join the workforce. Florida offers numerous opportunities to help residents reskill and upskill, often at no cost—especially the 1.9 million adults without a high school diploma, which is necessary for most career and technical education programs and the high-wage skills they provide. 

One of our key initiatives is the Future of Work Florida, a joint effort by CareerSource Florida, the Florida Chamber Foundation, and the Florida Department of Education. This initiative promotes career and technical education as a solution to Florida’s workforce challenges by uniting the business community with education and workforce partners to raise awareness and preparedness for high-demand careers of the future. 

According to the Florida Chamber Foundation’s “Top 30 in 2030” list of high-demand careers, roles such as registered nurses, construction managers, and certain first-line supervisors offer median wages exceeding $30 an hour and require only an associate’s degree. An additional 13 other careers require just some postsecondary training. Recognizing the unique regional industry demands in Florida, the “Top 30 in 2030” high-demand careers lists are broken down by county and workforce region. 

We are also collaborating to support economic diversification. As the state invests in key industries, we are ensuring that we have the talent infrastructure to meet these needs by building partnerships with public and private educational institutions and connecting new and expanding businesses with job training grants. 

We are proud of our joint efforts and the positive impact they are having on Florida’s businesses and workforce. However, we cannot achieve this vision alone. We need the active engagement and participation of the business community.  

If you are a business leader looking to hire talent, we invite you to connect with your local workforce development board and the Florida Chamber Foundation to share your needs, challenges, solutions, and innovations. If you are a student or a job seeker, we encourage you to explore the career services and training opportunities available at your local career center and discover the exciting career prospects that exist in your region and industry of interest.   

Together, we can make Florida the best place in the world to work, live, and play, ensuring our state is ready for the opportunities of the future. 

Adrienne Johnston is President and CEO of CareerSource Florida. Mark Wilson is President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Foundation.