Projected Industry Employment Growth

Each year, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity provides an employment forecast by industry, which is shown in Chart 3-6 and Table 3-6. The accommodation and food service industry is projected to be the fastest-growing industry in Southwest Florida, adding an average of 2,222 employees each year from 2020 to 2028. Health care and social assistance is projected to gain the second largest number of employees, adding 1,715 per year. This is followed by construction at 1,035 employees per year, self-employed and unpaid family workers at 817 jobs per year, and retail trade at 755 employees per year.

The accommodation and food services industry experienced a substantial increase in projected growth from last report, when the industry was projected to add 1,168 jobs per year between 2019 and 2027. This increase is likely a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced employment within the industry in 2020.

Southwest Florida

Industry 2020 Average Annual

2028 Growth

Accommodation and Food Services Health Care and Social Assistance 55,112 72,660

Construction

55,059 Self Employed and Unpaid Family Workers, All Jobs 41,327 Retail Trade 72,484

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services Other Services (except Government) Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 31,315

19,963 14,695 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 25,738 Wholesale Trade 12,701

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Educational Services 13,071 5,610

Transportation and Warehousing Manufacturing Management of Companies and Enterprises Finance and Insurance 8,539 12,165 3,375 13,134

Mining Information Utilities Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 329 5,199 1,181 8,703 72,890 86,381 63,342 47,860 78,521

36,587

24,276 18,471 28,730 14,667 14,596 6,868 9,281 12,706 3,902 13,209 339 5,205 1,187 8,195

Total, All Industries

525,140 603,554

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2,222 1,715 1,035 817 755

659

539 472 374 246 191 157 93 68 66 9 1 1 1 -63

9,802 Average Annual Percentage Growth

4.0% 2.4% 1.9% 2.0% 1.0%

2.1%

2.7% 3.2% 1.5% 1.9% 1.5% 2.8% 1.1% 0.6% 2.0% 0.1% 0.4% 0.0% 0.1% -0.7% 1.9%