The Floridant - Florida Ranks #1 for Attracting and Developing a Skilled Workforce for Third Consecutive Year

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Florida is also home to seven of ten top scoring Large Metropolitan

Statistical Areas in the nation

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Lightcast released the 2024 Talent Attraction Scorecard, ranking Florida as the number one state for attracting and developing a skilled workforce for the third consecutive year. Florida is also home to seven of the ten top scoring Large Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and four of the top ten scoring Mid-Sized MSAs in the nation. The Talent Attraction Scorecard evaluates states based on job growth, education attainment, regional competitiveness and migration data.

"Florida set an ambitious goal to be number one in workforce education by 2030—and we continue to march towards this achievement," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "We're not just preparing for the future—we're ahead of schedule, building a workforce ready for high-demand, high-wage careers today."

In the Lightcast Talent Attraction Scorecard, Florida also earned high rankings in multiple categories including:

#1 for overall job growth;
#1 for competitive effect;
#2 for skilled job growth; and
#3 for high-earning job growth.

Florida has seven of the ten top scoring Large MSAs in the nation with Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach ranked #3, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford ranked #4, Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin ranked #5, North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota ranked #7, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater ranked #8, Lakeland-Winter Haven ranked #9 and Naples-Marco Island ranked #10. Florida also has four of the ten top scoring Mid-Sized MSAs with Wildwood-The Villages ranked #1, Panama City-Panama City Beach ranked #4, Punta Gorda ranked #5 and Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor ranked #9.

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"Under Governor DeSantis' leadership, we're creating opportunities for both job seekers and job creators through a strong focus on education and workforce training," said Florida Secretary of Commerce, J. Alex Kelly. "Florida continues to lead the nation with an economy where workforce and talent development are a priority to our success as we continue to build a future full of opportunity for anyone ready to grow and succeed here in the Free State of Florida."

"For the third year in a row, Florida has earned the top spot for attracting and developing a skilled workforce. This consistent Number 1 ranking is proof that our talent pipeline is delivering results," said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. "We're committed to keeping this momentum going so Floridians are prepared for high-value careers and businesses have the talent they need to thrive."

"Florida is a national leader because of intentional collaboration between the state's business leaders and university faculty shaping curriculum," said State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. "The State University System of Florida's 2030 Strategic Plan highlights the importance of university presidents working with industry leaders, attracting top-tier faculty, and preparing students for successful careers. Thanks to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature's recent investment of $200M to recruit and retain world-class faculty, Florida can remain #1. The Lightcast rankings demonstrate our steadfast commitment to emphasizing degrees that propel students forward and align with Florida's workforce needs."

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"Florida's top ranking in talent attraction and development for the third year in a row is a testament to our strategic investments in workforce education and our commitment to preparing Floridians for the jobs of tomorrow," said Adrienne Johnston, CareerSource Florida President and CEO. "At CareerSource Florida, we're proud to help lead the charge in building a resilient, future-ready workforce that powers our state's continued economic success."

Additionally, Florida ranked number six for education attainment, which is a significant leap forward for Florida since the beginning of this administration. This is a direct result of Governor DeSantis' commitment to aligning workforce education programs with employers' needs in Florida through strategic investments and a focus on building a skilled workforce that meets demand.

Since Governor DeSantis took office, he has prioritized investments in workforce education, business development and strong infrastructure. These record investments have helped establish a strong skilled workforce pipeline and have continued to attract new businesses to the state. Florida leads the nation in new business formations with 3.8 million new businesses formed since 2019 and already more than 360,700 new businesses formed in 2025.

In Governor DeSantis' Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget, Governor DeSantis allocated $726.9 million to support workforce education programs and prepare students for high-demand, high-wage jobs. Additionally, since 2019, more than $291 million has been awarded through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state creating more than 30,000 workforce education opportunities and more than 40,000 new jobs.

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