Strong talent partnerships are closing the skills gaps in Tampa Bay
June 30, 2023
Hillsborough County is a magnet for new residents – and that means plenty of new talent for local companies that are hiring. According to the latest U.S. Census data, Florida is the fastest growing state in the nation, growing nearly two percent from July 2021-July 2022. Hillsborough County is the fourth fastest growing county in the state, and eighth in the entire country. Hillsborough County’s labor force participation is the highest among our neighboring counties in Tampa Bay and exceeds the U.S. average. Which is all tremendously good news for our employers and for companies considering relocation to Tampa.
However, we know that there are still sectors where we are falling short of workers with the skills employers need to keep growing. These sectors include healthcare, information technology, and business and professional services. The Tampa Bay EDC’s Investors – via our Competitiveness Committee – have been working together to ensure that our higher education, workforce and industry leaders are sharing information and developing solutions that can more effectively close those gaps. Several initiatives are underway for events on the campuses of the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa, and Florida Polytechnic – and you’ll be hearing more about those soon. We’re also working on videos that highlight the partnerships developed between area hospitals and Hillsborough Community College, Saint Leo University and Ultimate Medical Academy to train more local residents for health care careers.
Summer is officially here, and we’ve got a long holiday weekend ahead of us. I hope that you, your families and your teams will have a chance to catch your breath, enjoy some vacation time, and celebrate our nation’s independence.
Have a great 4th of July and thank you for your support of the Tampa Bay EDC.
Craig
