What is a 10% increase in college enrollment worth in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties? Try $1.2 billion per year.
That was the finding more than 100 education, business and government leaders came to hear on Sept. 10, at “Higher Education, Higher Rewards in Central Florida: United for Tomorrow’s Workforce,” a convening organized by Heart of Florida United Way and upliftED at Orange Technical College’s East Campus, in partnership with Orlando Economic Partnership, the Florida College Access Network and Helios Education Foundation.
The event was part of Talent Strong Florida, FCAN’s statewide campaign promoting the value of higher education and encouraging communities to reap its rewards through increased high-value credential and degree attainment.
upliftED is the Local College Access Network serving Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties under Heart of Florida United Way’s Education United umbrella.
Making the Case: Three Counties, Three Gaps
- A 10% increase in college enrollment, roughly 1,444 additional students, would generate an estimated $723 million in social and fiscal gains for Orange County, $262 million for Seminole County and $222 million for Osceola County, a combined $1.2 billion.
- Individuals with a bachelor’s degree are projected to earn nearly twice what high school graduates earn over a lifetime, 1.9 times, across Central Florida. That matters because by 2031, an estimated 64% of jobs in Florida will require some education or training beyond high school.
- Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties grew by 201,000 residents between 2020 and 2025, an 8.8% increase, raising the stakes on whether the region’s talent pipeline can keep pace with its population.
The county-level data came from Dave Sobush, FCAN’s director of research and policy, and Kimberly Lent Morales, Helios’s director of research and evaluation and a co-author of the “Florida’s Future Billions” report.
Daisy Franklin, upliftED’s program manager, closed the program by asking attendees to turn their interest into action, and they did, by signing up for upliftED’s and Heart of Florida United Way newsletter, volunteering with the Student Success Hub, attending future convenings, joining an impact team, and investing directly in the work.
Next comes the work of deciding what those students would study. This fall, upliftED and Orlando Economic Partnership will bring about 30 skilled trades employers and educators together to map where Central Florida’s career pathways stop short of a good job. A healthcare session will follow. Both will use a World Café format, and feedback from participants will shape a career pathways toolkit for the region.
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