By: Mark Wilson, President & CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce & Foundation
Florida needs to create 1.3 million new jobs by 2030 and many wonder where they’ll find the talent to fill these jobs. Florida’s employers face an all-too-familiar challenge: finding the right people, with the right skills, at the right time. Whether you’re running a large manufacturing plant in Melbourne or a tech startup in Tampa, everyone is feeling the strain of the talent crisis.
But what if I told you that Florida now has a tool that gives businesses of all sizes a clearer view of the talent pipeline than ever before? One that helps you anticipate workforce needs, align with educational institutions, and make smarter talent investments, all grounded in real-time, localized data?
That tool is the Florida Talent Center Data Hub, a new platform developed by the Florida Chamber Foundation in partnership with the Helios Education Foundation.
And if you’re a Florida employer thinking strategically about your workforce—today and ten years from now—you need to start using it today.
Why Data Should Be Driving Your Talent Strategy
For years, business leaders across Florida have told a consistent story: “We’re hiring—but we can’t find enough qualified workers.” Meanwhile, educators and training providers have been asking: “How do we know what the workforce really needs?”
The Florida Talent Center Data Hub closes that loop. It’s a new, centralized, easy-to-use platform that compiles hundreds of data points across the cradle-to-career continuum—from early learning to high school performance, college completion, workforce training, and wage outcomes.
More importantly, this isn’t just state-level data. You can filter by county, zip code, and even individual schools. That means you can see what the future talent pool looks like in your community—and where the opportunities and gaps are.
Some of the insights provided on the Florida Talent Center Data Hub include:
This kind of actionable intelligence is invaluable for workforce planning, particularly for employers looking to form partnerships with local schools, training programs, colleges, or universities.
From Insight to Action: How Businesses Can Use the Hub
The Florida Talent Center Data Hub isn’t just a data dashboard—it’s a strategic tool that enables proactive engagement and changes the game.
1. Align with the right education partners.Let’s say your company is based in Orlando and needs to hire skilled technicians. Using the Florida Talent Data Hub, you can identify which Orange County schools and technical colleges are producing students with strong outcomes in math or CTE (career and technical education) programs. You can then approach those institutions to build internship pipelines, provide input on curriculum, or offer equipment and mentors.
2. Target workforce investments.Thinking of supporting a scholarship program or funding a workforce initiative? The Florida Talent Center Data Hub can guide you to areas where graduation rates are low or poverty is high—helping you ensure your investment goes where it will make the most impact.
3. Anticipate long-term trends.
Want to understand how your future workforce is developing? The Florida Talent Center Data Hub helps you track early learning milestones and literacy proficiency rates, so you can see what talent may look like in your region five to ten years from now—and plan accordingly.
4. Inform your talent attraction strategy.If your business is expanding and considering new locations within Florida, the Florida Talent Center Data Hub helps you evaluate regions not just by current workforce numbers but by the pipeline of talent being developed locally.
The Bottom Line: Smart Talent Strategy Requires Smart Data
We’re entering a new era in workforce development—one where collaboration, agility, and transparency matter more than ever. Employers can’t afford to operate in the dark, making talent decisions based on assumptions or outdated information.
The Florida Talent Center Data Hub changes the game. It offers a shared source of truth for the business community, education providers, and civic leaders to build a stronger, more aligned talent pipeline. It puts employers in the driver’s seat—not just reacting to workforce challenges, but shaping the future of talent in Florida.
It’s free. It’s public. It’s built to serve business. And it’s a competitive advantage for Florida employers.
Visit the Florida Talent Center Data Hub to learn how it can work for your company.