2024 E-Insights Report
Talent Availability
The vitality of a region’s economy is greatly influenced by the availability of talent within the region. Talent availability in this section refers to the pool of skilled individuals who have the potential to contribute to various sectors of the economy. Regions with a higher availability of skilled workers attract more businesses and investments, which can lead to higher productivity and regional economic output.
In studying the Tampa Bay region, researchers have benchmarked a range of indicators to gauge the level of available talent, such as degree enrollment rates, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degree enrollments, college persistence rate, and job search trends.
Key Insights
- Tampa Bay ranks among the top 10 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) for both degree and STEM degree enrollments per 10,000 residents. However, there is a consistent decline in the college persistence rate, indicating the presence of challenges in retaining students beyond their first year of college.
- Tampa Bay is highly active in employment-related search trends, ranking within the top five for searches specifically focused on full-time job opportunities indicating high talent availability.