Latest Expand Tampa Bay survey results reveal local companies’ growth plans

June 29, 2022

This fiscal year, the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council revamped its local business and retention program to Expand Tampa Bay. A key component included a new online business assessment to identify trends and gain a better understanding of local companies’ growth plans and hiring needs.

Between October 1, 2021 – May 31, 2022, 106 local employers from our targeted industries have completed the assessment. The majority of participants are from the manufacturing sector at 29.2%, followed by financial and professional services at 27.4% and Information Technology at 17.9%. In total, the companies that completed the assessment employ more than 33,000 people in the Tampa market.

Over the next three years, 54% of the companies stated they plan to expand with a total estimate of 4,480 new jobs. The financial and professional services companies surveyed plan to add the most new jobs at more than 2,400. Information technology companies follow at 875 estimated new jobs.

The local business assessment has been a valuable tool for our business development team as they conduct business visits with local companies, providing key insights into our local companies’ needs, challenges, and opportunities. We’ll continue to gather the findings and report on the trends we identify.