Okaloosa County BOCC — October 5, 2013 — NWFL Manufacturing Data — reading text

Manufacturing in Northwest Florida:  Manufacturing is a key driver in the 12-county regional economy. The region is expected to receive $2.6B in total 2013 GDP (gross domestic product) from manufacturing.  The manufacturing industry directly contributes 14,518 jobs across the Northwest Florida Economy and in the process, generates $985 million in total earnings. This equates to $67,872 in earnings for each worker employed in the industry. The leisure and hospitality industry, by comparison, employs 63,053 workers across the region and generates $1.3 billion in earnings. This equates to roughly $20,600 in earnings for each worker employed in the industry. Manufacturing has a higher economic impact (as measured by earnings) in the region per job generated than any other industry super cluster.  The manufacturing industry also adds an additional 17,062 jobs indirectly to the economy. For every 1 job in manufacturing, an additional 1.175 jobs are generated in the region.  Manufacturing is projected to grow more rapidly in Northwest Florida than in any other region in the state. Northwest Florida Manufacturing Workforce Gaps: A regional collaboration of manufacturers and representatives from economic development, education, and workforce development – the Northwest Florida Skilled Technician Task Force - identified 12 groups of occupational skillsets which are critical to the future growth and development of manufacturing in the region and in which a shortage of workers was forecast to occur over the next five years. In these 12 occupational groups, the Task Force identified a total demand, across the region, for approximately 3,400 new and replacement workers over the next five years. However, the task force’s forecasts indicate that the regional education and workforce training systems will produce only about 860 workers to meet these needs. Thus for every one trained worker exiting the education and workforce development system over the next five years, there will be approximately 4 openings. Critical regional training gaps are forecast in the following occupations:  Plumbing  Metal Fabrication  Communication Electronics  Electrical  Industrial Machinery and Repair  Building Maintenance  Installation, Maintenance and Repair Workers  Aircraft Mechanics  Metal, Plastic and Machine Workers  Computer Systems  Welding and Soldering  Quality Control and Inspection Workers www.nwfmc.org