Fresh Profile: Florida Jobs

Published on 2008-06-27

With the fourth-highest state population in the U.S., one of the world's largest tourism industries, and a diverse economy fueled by everything from agriculture to aerospace, Florida's impact on the nation's employment picture is considerable. Despite the current nationwide recession and housing market troubles, the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation projects the creation of 1.36 million new Florida jobs by 2015, nearly half of which will come in the clerical, sales, food service, healthcare and education sectors. Computer, healthcare and legal jobs are expected to show the greatest percentage growth; nine of the ten fastest-growing jobs in Florida are in the medical and computer industries.

Florida's climate and natural resources have long been a crucial part of its economic success. Florida is a leading producer of citrus fruit, honey, greenhouse and nursery products, and various fruits and vegetables, among other products. Agriculture is Florida's second-largest industry in terms of revenue. According to the latest available statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agriculture jobs account for just over 13% of Florida's total workforce.

Climate is also a huge part of Florida's appeal as a tourist destination. Snowbirds - retirees who live in the state only during the winter months - create seasonal population surges in Florida's beach towns. About 85 million tourists visited Florida in 2007, drawn by its hundreds of miles of coastline, world-famous amusement parks, and importance as a hub for international commerce and finance. Researchers at the organization Visit Florida calculate the number of travel and tourism jobs in the state to be nearly 1 million.

Though agriculture and tourism receive more attention, Florida's nonprofit sector is actually one of its leading employers by industry. A 2007 report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies estimated that there are 380,000 non profit jobs and 250,000 full-time equivalent volunteer jobs in Florida, making the non-profit sector the fourth-largest workforce in the state.

Jacksonville is Florida's largest city, with a 2007 population of nearly 800,000 residents. Transportation and shipping is a critical sector for the creation of Jacksonville jobs. The Port of Jacksonville is the second-largest on the U.S. East coast and, according to a report by Martin Associates, its economic activity is responsible for the creation of 50,000 jobs in Northeast Florida. Military jobs are also important contributors to Jacksonville's economy; the military is the city's single largest employer.

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach is the largest metro area in Florida. Miami is a leading center not only for financial jobs in Florida, but also for the U.S. finance industry as a whole. Tourism and international commerce are at the heart of Miami's economy. Downtown Miami has the largest concentration of international banks in the country, and Miami-Dade County is one of the world's leading metropolitan areas for multinational corporations. Education, healthcare and government are also primary sources of Miami jobs.

Tourism, entertainment, healthcare, and technology are all notable sources of jobs in Orlando. Florida's other highly populated cities include Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Hialeah, Tallahassee and Hollywood.

From Florida nursing jobs to Florida real estate jobs, Fresho.com is the place to go for new jobs and exciting career opportunities in the Sunshine State. Our features include free classified ads, free resume posting, location-specific search tools, and email and RSS job alerts. For a fast, free and effective job search in Florida, the only site you need is Fresho.com.