Pulse360 | TAMPA2020 | Page 8

// EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PROFILE • • • • Nearly 27.0 percent of Tampa Bay’s workforce has at least a Bachelor’s degree, in line with the state’s average. // EDUCATION Graduate or professional degree Further, Tampa Bay is well above the national average (29.6 percent) for STEM and business related degrees, as 35.0 percent of the workforce holds degrees in these fields. Given the strong push for STEM related jobs in the area (Hillsborough County leads Florida in STEM related employment openings), it is expected that this number will continue to grow in the future. Additionally, the Tampa Bay area is centrally located among many of the state’s top learning institutions and is home to both the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa, with a combined enrollment of over 56,000 students. Tampa Bay is also a big draw for graduates from UF, FSU, and UCF, three of the largest public universities in the United States. Less than High School Bachelor’s degree Associate’s degree High School Some college // STEM JOB OPENINGS IN FLORIDA The access to talent has helped Tampa Bay surpass pre-recession peak employment by over 32,000 jobs. Given Tampa Bay’s low costs of living (well below the national average), growth among Tampa’s talent pool should continue to increase and be attractive to large employers. 2016 TAMPA PULSE // 8 10,338