Economic Competitiveness
Groundbreaking approach to economic development
The Florida Council of 100 has crafted a new data-driven, collaborative strategy that provides a roadmap to leverage the Sunshine State’s regional strengths and attract jobs in higher-wage industries, promoting long-term economic resilience and a better future for all Floridians.
Challenges
Florida lags peer states in terms of high-paying jobs.
Florida’s economy is overreliant on sectors that are impacted more significantly, and recover more slowly, from an economic downturn (e.g., Hospitality & Tourism).
Since 2023, Florida has operated without Enterprise Florida, the organization whose top-down economic development strategy guided Florida’s growth for decades.
Employment in high-paying occupations, % (2022)
Opportunities
To harness the private sector’s dynamism and propel Florida into into a new era of economic success, The Florida Council of 100 created a first-of-its-kind economic development strategy centered around regional strengths with the potential to add up to 200,000 higher-wage jobs and $100 billion to the state’s GDP by 2030.
We have formed an innovative platform for the regular convening of regional economic development organizations (EDOs), talent education partners, and the state
to steer investment to higher-wage sectors, align talent with opportunity, and address challenges to sustained expansion.
To underpin this strategy, we examined the state’s six significant regional economies and identified the industries generating higher wage and resilient jobs.
This data-driven work provides a framework for the new, globally attractive Florida:
Beyond Sunshine: Advancing Florida’s World Class Economy for the Next Generation
The Florida Council of 100 has developed a first-of-its-kind economic development strategy which provides a roadmap to leverage the Sunshine State’s regional strengths and attract jobs in higher-wage industries, promoting long-term economic resilience and a better future for all Floridians.
Investing in these regional strengths could add up to 200,000 new jobs in higher-wage industries in Florida by 2030, contributing nearly $100 billion in added GDP to the nation’s fourth-largest economy.
Uniting and Leveraging Florida’s Economic Development Strengths
The Florida Council of 100 has created an innovative platform that brings together the Florida Department of Commerce, Select Florida, regional Economic Development Organizations (EDOs), as well as business, talent development organizations, and academic institutions, to promote common economic development goals through the advancement of unique regional efforts.
Related Research
Beyond Sunshine: Advancing Florida’s World Class Economy for the Next Generation
June 26, 2024
Beyond Sunshine Fact Sheet
June 26, 2024
Statewide Business Survey – Highlights & Improvements in 2021
January 14, 2022
Project Sunrise: An Economic Competitiveness Strategy for the State of Florida
April 23, 2019
Related News
Press Release
Florida Council of 100 Unveils Strategy to Add up to 200,000 Jobs in Higher-Wage Industries by 2030, contributing $100B in GDP to the State
June 26, 2024
Statement
Florida Council of 100 Praises Governor Ron DeSantis and Legislative Leaders on Historic Tort Reform Law
March 24, 2023
Letters
New York Post, Letter to the Editor: “Florida’s Success”
February 12, 2023
Press Release
Florida Council of 100 Praises Governor DeSantis and Legislative Leaders for Enacting Property Insurance Reform Legislation
December 16, 2022
