If you want one of Florida’s most in-demand jobs, you’re going to need math skills.
The Florida Chamber Foundation, through its Future of Work Florida Initiative, has released an interactive “Math Skills Edition” of its Top 30 High-Demand Careers list, tying specific math competencies to jobs across the state’s 21 workforce regions.
The report is part of the broader Florida 2030 Blueprint, an effort aimed at positioning the state as a Top 10 global economy — if measured as a country, the state’s $1.8 trillion GDP would place in the mid-teens, around the level of South Korea and Spain.
The push back cut against the common conception that math is only essential in traditionally numbers-heavy fields. While “numbers-heavy” fields such as accounting and auditing are on the list, so are nursing, trucking and real estate sales.
“Florida’s future competitiveness depends on getting talent right, and that includes math proficiency,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Foundation.
“The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Scorecard shows one-third of our eighth-grade students are not proficient in math, which should concern every business leader in Florida. Because we are serious about closing the skills gap and securing Florida’s future, we have to make sure every student builds the math foundation needed to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce.”
The report arrives alongside data showing ongoing challenges in student performance. Statewide assessment results show 33% of Florida eighth graders were not proficient in math in 2025, raising concerns about whether students are on track for college or will be ready to enter the workforce after high school.
Business leaders say the stakes go beyond the classroom.
“At Fifth Third, we believe that financial empowerment is an important first step in helping to transform lives and communities,” said Scott Daigle, North Florida Regional President of Fifth Third Bank. “We understand the importance of education to support K-12 students, especially as it relates to math and building long-term financial confidence.”
The report aims to better align education with workforce needs and strengthen Florida’s talent pipeline by clearly connecting job demand with required skills. It also complements the Florida Talent Center Data Hub, a tool tracking workforce readiness from early education through employment.
Polling suggests Floridians are already on board with the emphasis — a 2025 survey from Echelon Insights found 91% of Florida voters would support efforts improving K-12 math education, with more than three-quarters backing investments in teacher training and high-quality instructional materials.
“Improving math outcomes is not just an education issue, it’s a statewide economic imperative,” said Corrie Melton, Vice President of Talent Development for the Future of Work at the Florida Chamber Foundation. “Business leaders, educators, policymakers, philanthropy, and community leaders in Florida must work together to make certain every student has the math skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce and economy.”
The Chamber said it will dive deeper into the findings during the 2026 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit, scheduled for June 23 in Tampa.