Florida Jobs 2030: 90 Interviews, 5 Recommendations for Success, 1 Pathway to Future
Tallahassee, FL (Jan. 30, 2017)—The Florida Chamber Foundation today discussed with state and local education and business leaders the findings of their latest report, Florida Jobs 2030. Conversations today included Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Commissioner Pam Stewart, Chancellor Madeline Pumariega and Chancellor Rod Duckworth of the Florida Department of Education, CareerSource Florida representatives, Tallahassee Community College President Dr. Jim Murdaugh, the Florida Manufacturers Association and more.
"When it comes to securing Florida’s future, it’s important to think long-term and when it comes to Florida’s workforce, that means planning for jobs that may not even exist,” said Tony Carvajal, Executive Vice President of the Florida Chamber Foundation. “Florida Jobs 2030, which is part of the Florida 2030 Cornerstone Series, will serve as the road map for businesses and educational institutions to work together to create pathways and partnerships toward economic opportunity."
The report includes interviews from 90 stakeholders—nonprofit leaders, education leaders as well as business, industry and community leaders—who looked at five of Florida’s eight targeted industries to analyze the demand, skills gaps, workforce challenges and opportunities: Aerospace and Aviation, Finance and Professional Services, Health Care and Life Sciences, Logistics and Distribution, and Manufacturing.
To prepare for projected shifts in Florida’s labor market and the changing landscape of skills required for 21st-century jobs, the report also highlights five core recommendations for policymakers, educators, and Florida’s business community:
- Deepen and expand cross-sector collaboration,
- Foster opportunities for targeted skills development that is responsive to economic shifts,
- Improve statewide career awareness and counseling,
- Streamline transitions between high school, postsecondary, and workforce and create a more seamless pipeline between education and the workforce, and
- Adopt a data-driven approach to meeting Florida’s needs for a 21st century workforce.
Florida Jobs 2030 is part of the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida 2030 project, a two-year, multi-million dollar research initiative, that will build on the recommendations of the last Cornerstone report which, since its release, has helped to shape policy and put a long-term lens to Florida’s future.
“Florida will need to create two million net new jobs between now and 2030 and six million more people will call our state home,” said Carvajal. “Will our workforce, businesses and our education systems of tomorrow be prepared?”
The report research was led by Mary Wright and Sara Lamback of Jobs for the Future.
