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Economic Vitality measures the quantity and quality of jobs within a region, the relative incomes that its residents earn, the wealth they attain, and economic opportunities for its entrepreneurs.
Innovation measures the extent to which a community and its institutions are generating new ideas and inventions, and the market’s reception of these ideas.
Infrastructure measures the quantity and quality of the investment a region makes in underlying structures, including transportation and broadband internet.
Talent measures who is working today, and how well the region’s talent pipeline is being prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.
Civic Quality measures the affordability of a region, the health and safety of its citizens, and the recreational opportunities that impact its quality of life.
Outcomes measure the growth of the regional economy, the extent to which economic growth is being enjoyed by everyone, and the attractiveness of the region for its current and potential residents.
For the purpose of the Regional Competitiveness Report, the data presented for the Tampa Bay region reflects the eight counties of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.
The Tampa Bay Partnership is a coalition of regional business and nonprofit leaders, joined by a shared commitment to improving the personal and economic well-being of Tampa Bay residents. Through its foundation, the Partnership conducts objective, data-driven research to identify the region’s greatest challenges and measure our progress toward shared community goals. This work includes the Regional Competitiveness Report, which helps measure our region's performance against other communities nationwide.
Based on data from the 2025 Regional Competitiveness Report, San Antonio’s net migration is over four times the national average. The population growth has placed additional stresses on healthcare infrastructure, mandating creative solutions to increase the talent pipeline.
Public-Private Partnerships that work to address workforce shortages in healthcare are of interest to the Tampa Bay region, which is home to a vibrant healthcare ecosystem. According to the Florida Hospital Association (FHA), there are more than 321 hospitals across the state of Florida with over 900,000 full-time and part-time employees. According to a 2023 study, also published by FHA, Allied Health Professionals comprise nearly 60% of the healthcare workforce.
Healthcare is uniquely positioned for career mobility because it has a built-in infrastructure for advancement. Workers can enter the field with a single credential and continue gaining proficiency and specializations over time. By increasing the volume of talent entering the system, this partnership converts short-term educational opportunities into long-term economic mobility.
San Antonio created a public-private partnership including a municipally designed and managed funding mechanism to engage un-and under-employed residents through training programs helping to build a stronger talent pipeline for local healthcare employers.
San Antonio is the 7th largest city in the nation. The area’s population growth (over 4 times the United States Average based on the 2025 Regional Competitiveness Report) has exposed long-standing healthcare deserts where residents lack access to hospitals, doctor’s offices, and specialists.
Even as new medical facilities are built, demand quickly outpaces supply, intensifying the strain on already overburdened systems. The city faces severe shortages in essential healthcare roles including nurses, respiratory therapists, lab technicians, phlebotomists, and particularly multi-skilled medical assistants (MAs), a critical need for many healthcare providers.
As a result, San Antonio’s civic leaders championed major policy shifts to support workforce training initiatives, including pathways in healthcare.
The mayor, with the city council’s backing, led a successful effort to reallocate 1/8 of a cent from an existing sales tax to create the Ready to Work fund. Voters overwhelmingly supported the change, with 77% approval. The strong social support likely stemmed from an awareness of a significantly high unemployment rate post-COVID, which grew from 3% to 15%.
To date, 12,000 residents have benefited from Ready to Work, which not only supports career opportunities, but has wrap-around services and designated funds to help provide a safety net for unexpected emergencies.
Additionally, innovative partnerships to increase healthcare workers were being championed by San Antonio’s Alamo Community College, one of Texas’s largest higher education systems. Traditional MA programs, requiring daily in-person attendance, only graduated around 35 students per year.
They worked with the College of Health Care Professions, a private training institution, to create a highly customized program to serve a diverse and often underserved population.
More than half of students identify as Hispanic, 25% as Black, and the majority are women over age 24, many of whom are single parents. 40% of students enrolled (double the national average) also carry “educational trauma,” having previously attempted and failed in other programs, leading to a sense of shame or internalized failure.
Unlike traditional models, the new program offered by the College of Health Care Professionals prioritized flexibility, competency-based learning, and comprehensive wraparound support.
The new approach offered an asynchronous learning model paired with one to two days per week of intensive, in-person, hands-on training. This approach allowed working adults, mostly in their 30s and older, to maintain full-time jobs, care for families, and still pursue training. With built-in wraparound supports, the pilot achieved a 100% success and placement rate.
As of 2025, 120 students completed the program with an 80% retention rate. Pathways have now expanded to include x-ray technician programs and other health tracks. Even in cases where certification isn’t required, students sit for licensure exams. This not only affirms their skills but boosts confidence and long-term employability. The strategic public-private partnership provides a great example of the types of programs that can bolster a region when many partners decide to work collaboratively to solve talent issues.