High-wage, primary-industry jobs on the rise

Pinellas County might be one of Florida’s most densely built-out and developed counties, but that hasn’t stopped it from attracting companies that add high-quality jobs to the local workforce.

A recent update to a 2014 economic development study found that since 2015 Pinellas County employers created 5,730 high-wage jobs in primary industries — such as manufacturing, financial services and IT — topping the original goal of 3,958 that was set four years ago by Pinellas County Economic Development.