Get ready to learn a lot more about the innovations and ingenuity of Florida’s manufacturing industry.
Thanks to legislation passed this session, manufacturing—which experts recommend expanding to ensure greater resiliency in a state economy reliant upon tourism, real estate, construction and agriculture—is primed to elevate its profile.
In a bid to increase the market share for goods and products manufactured in the Sunshine State, SB 600 creates the Florida Manufacturing Promotional Campaign in conjunction with Florida Commerce and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
To participate in the voluntary campaign, manufacturers must register annually with the Department of Commerce, which will develop logos and promotional materials showcasing the industry, its products and contributions to the overall economy. The fee for registrants would not exceed $100.
Of the more than 27,000 manufacturing companies in Florida, nearly eight in 10 employ fewer than 20 people, according to FloridaMakes. A mass campaign to promote the industry will provide the strongest tailwinds to small operations.
“We want to maintain and home grow Florida’s massive manufacturing businesses of tomorrow,” Chris Dawson of FloridaMakes reportedly told lawmakers. “And we’re starting with the small folks at home.”
The bill took effect July 1.
The legislation also enables small manufacturers—namely operations specializing in new technologies and cybersecurity infrastructure—to apply for grants to meet their workforce development needs. The Legislature also passed HB 1145 to expand opportunities for workforce education.
The legislation allows charters schools to directly petition the Department of Education for workforce development grants rather than going through local school districts, as previously required. The funding could be used to create or expand career and technical education programs, which enable students to earn industry certifications.
HB 1145 also requires school districts and institutions in the Florida College System to designate six workforce education programs that qualify for the state’s money-back guarantee commitment.
“Whether we’re talking as broadly as an economy as big as Florida’s or as specifically as our own in Martin County, the keys to increased opportunity, productivity and resiliency include advanced manufacturing and workforce education and development,” says William Corbin, BDBMC executive director. “Those are our primary focuses at the BDB, and it’s nice to see such strong alignment with the state and its priority to promote the smaller manufacturers—which are essential to Florida’s future economic success.”
