West Florida Regional Planning Council West Florida
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Higher EducationIntroduction There will be a demand for workers with specialized skill sets to meet the demand of growth and emerging industries in the region. Greater collaboration between education, business and the military would facilitate the development of new programs of study, and enhance existing, to meet current and future demand. Institutions such as the Innovation Institute at the University of West Florida offer programs that broaden the higher education experience. UWF is beginning to offer courses through Florida Virtual Campus as well as Complete Florida, a forum for people to finish their education. Both of these programs will open doors for more people to complete university degrees. Military installations are also locations for a myriad of educational programs such as the University of Florida Research and Engineering Education Facility (REEF) located on Eglin Air Force Base. The REEF offers courses that may lead to Masters and Doctorate degree programs in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Industrial and Systems Engineering. viii.Innovation & Economic Development - Goals ix.Goal 2.1: Provide funding for ongoing economic development activities.
x.Goal 2.2: Provide Technical assistance and use new technology to promote job growth.
xi.Goal 2.3: Build seamless information technology infrastructure.
xii.Goal 2.4: Encourage location and expansion of target industries identified by Florida’s Great Northwest, including, but not limited to: xiii.Goal 2.5: Brand the region as a hub to attract and retain entrepreneurs.
IntroductionThe purpose of the Innovation & Economic Development Pillar is to strengthen Florida’s leadership expanding and emerging talent and innovation clusters and help transition established clusters to serve new markets. Diversification is a vital component to the resilience of a region’s economy because a large, diversified economic structure creates stability and national competiveness. A cluster targeted industry development strategy can accelerate the diversification of the Regional economy by focusing on high-wage, high value-added cluster economic growth. To do this we must grow, sustain, and integrate efforts related to research and development, technology transfer and commercialization, and capital to create, nurture and expand innovation business. We must also expand the number of Florida businesses selling goods and services internationally and diversify the markets they serve. This means we will have to brand and market Florida as the best state for business. Additionally, UWF is currently developing curriculum for an entrepreneurship program under the College of Business, which will increase potential for additional new small businesses in the region. In Northwest Florida, a number of local, regional and state organizations are working to achieve economic development goals. Local economic development organizations in the region include:
Regional economic development organizations include:
xiv.Infrastructure & Growth Leadership - Goals xv.Goal 3.1: Develop transportation systems to support a prosperous, globally competitive economy while minimizing impacts to the natural environment.
xvi.Goal 3.2: Develop economic clusters to diversify our economy beyond tourism and military support.
xvii.Goal 3.3: Create robust regional emergency management and preparedness to reduce recovery period after natural disaster or man-made hazard.
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