Florida Trend Exclusive
Cyber conundrum
It's a cyber conundrum: Cybersecurity graduates are reporting difficulty finding jobs in the field. Yet 80% of IT and cybersecurity professionals say there aren't enough workers to meet growing needs in the sector, according to the inaugural 2025 CyberBay Survey from USF, Bellini Capital and Cyber Florida. The report points to "unrealistic requirements" for entry-level positions, leading to constricted hiring pipelines and overlooked candidates. [Source: Florida Trend]
FPL parent company is pursuing a mega-merger. Will Florida bills be affected?
Florida Power & Light’s parent company, NextEra Energy, plans to acquire a Virginia utility company called Dominion Energy in a deal that would result in a massive utility juggernaut. The merger comes at a pivotal time for the utility industry, as demand for power is surging and many Americans are struggling to keep up with rising electricity bills. That’s particularly true in Florida, whose residents had their power shut off about 2 million times in 2024, the third-highest rate nationwide for disconnections due to unpaid bills. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida's public school 'funding death spiral' has communities stressed
Florida public schools are facing widespread closures and staff cuts due to declining enrollment. Factors contributing to the decline include lower birthrates, high cost of living, and a shift to private and charter schools. Critics argue that state politics, including universal school vouchers and immigration enforcement, have accelerated the crisis. [Source: Palm Beach Post]
Florida Android users could see money if they qualify for settlement
Florida Android users may be eligible for a payment from a lawsuit involving Google's collection of their data. According to the terms of a class-action settlement, people who used an Android product with internet access anytime after Nov. 12, 2017, may qualify for a portion of the settlement from the lawsuit, Taylor v. Google LLC, which alleged that Google needlessly collected cellular data it purchased from mobile carriers. [Source: Gainesville Sun]
What does El Niño mean for Florida during hurricane season?
Every prediction so far released for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has mentioned El Niño. Chances are high NOAA also will bring up El Niño when it releases its official forecast for this hurricane season later this week. But what exactly is it and how does something that happens in the Pacific affect hurricanes in the Atlantic, which could then impact Florida? [Source: Palm Beach Post]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› 6 development projects to watch on Pinellas County’s beaches
Tourism is king in Pinellas County, with millions of visitors flocking to our shores each year to enjoy a beach vacation. Many of the waterfront hotels and condos that cater to the spring break crowd have been around for decades. But in recent years, we’ve seen a renewed push for development in places like St. Pete Beach and Madeira Beach. Not everyone is happy about it.
› Seminole County seeks contractors for $160M-$175M indoor sports complex
Seminole County’s board of county commissioners has unanimously approved a motion to authorize the solicitation of architectural, engineering and construction management services for a planned multipurpose indoor sports complex in Sanford. The proposed complex — expected to cost between $160 million and $175 million — would be built on 28 acres southeast of Orlando Sanford International Airport at the northwest corner of Moore’s Station Road and East Lake Mary Boulevard.
› Collins Aerospace to expand Largo facility
Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based RTX, has had a presence in Florida for four decades. Last week, the aviation and technology company announced that it will expand its Largo facility. Organization leaders plan to invest $26.5 million.
› Is it a good time to buy a home in South Florida? Check the new sales trends
Total home sales were up in Miami-Dade County last month compared to the previous April, the eighth straight month of increased action. Sales in Miami-Dade rose by more than 5% year-over-year, with single-family home sales up by more than 8%, and condo sales up by nearly 3%, according to data from the Miami Association of Realtors. With sales rising and inventory declining, the county may see prices going up, too.
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› Tampa-based Bromley Industrial Partners says it is eyeing Jacksonville
A Tampa-based company that announced it had purchased a $23.5 million industrial complex in Clearwater said it is pursuing similar opportunities in Jacksonville and considers the city a key growth market. Bromley Industrial Partners, the industrial investment platform of Bromley Cos., announced May 18 it had purchased the two-building, 200,000-square-foot complex in Clearwater from Blue Steel Development.
› SpaceX's Starship V3 set to launch from Texas. What it means for Florida.
SpaceX is getting ready to launch the first of its redesigned Starship from its Texas base and all eyes are on this flight as the massive rocket could potentially launch from Cape Canaveral by year's end. For SpaceX, it's all about getting back to the moon — and eventually to Mars. The 407-foot-tall launch system needs to meet many goals before it can act as a lander for NASA’s Artemis Program.
› Charlotte County, Punta Gorda plan for utilities growth
Charlotte County and Punta Gorda officials entered a 20-year water supply agreement to meet future demand and secure additional resources through the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority. In addition to sharing resources to avoid costly duplication, both utilities systems are upgrading infrastructure, efforts that began before the joint city-county water supply plan, which is set to take effect in July 2028.
› Alachua County program trains postpartum doulas to fill gap in maternal support
Families being matched with new graduates of the Children’s Trust of Alachua County’s Flourish program, which trains postpartum doulas to support new mothers through the physical and emotional challenges of life after childbirth, span a wide range of circumstances. Gainesville’s transient population of students and young couples without nearby family often turns to doulas to fill a gap once filled by grandmothers, neighbors or close friends.