Sky's the limit for aviation companies and careers in Manatee County

At the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. we carefully select industry sectors to target our business recruitment efforts. We look for industries where Manatee County already has a foothold, where our community’s assets match the industry’s needs and where there is substantial potential for job growth and capital investment by the private sector.

The aviation sector rose to the top of the list in recent years, and with good reason. It’s fast-growing, offers high wage jobs and has tremendous capital investment potential. The region was already home to related businesses, and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) could offer available sites. These factors led us to create an intentional strategy to develop an “aviation ecosystem” designed to attract and support businesses in the sector.

That ecosystem includes SRQ; a workforce training pipeline that goes from K-12 through technical college certification and university engineering education; and a tight collaboration of key entities with a mutual mission to support the growth of the aviation industry in Manatee County and our region.

Real estate at and near SRQ is a key hot button for aviation-related companies, whether manufacturing, maintenance and repair or training. A recent manufacturing win is Pilatus Aviation, a Swiss aircraft maker. Pilatus announced plans last August to build a facility on the Manatee County side of SRQ. The company expects to invest $27 million and employ 300 when the project is fully implemented.

The workforce training pipeline for aviation is exciting. Team Success, a K-12 charter school on the north side of the airport, has an aviation-focused curriculum, exposing students to this career pathway at an early age.

Manatee Technical College will open an aviation maintenance and power plant school at SRQ in 2026. The school will offer industry-approved certifications through a two-year program that can lead to careers earning well over $80,000 a year. And students may find employment with companies at SRQ, keeping young talent in our community. State and federal funding support to create the school is another example of the aviation ecosystem at work. We are grateful to the leaders who acted on this vision.

Adding to the education pathway, the University of South Florida is developing an aerospace engineering program that will lead to degrees in that field.

All these efforts, and our marketing outreach to recruit more aviation industry jobs and investment to Manatee County, are made possible through collaborative partners engaged in our Aviation Ecosystem Task Force. Participants include SRQ, the workforce development agency CareerSource Suncoast, private sector companies, educational institutions and Manatee County Government. Together, we define the industry’s needs and develop solutions. It’s a powerful team effort based on communication, trust and mutual goals.

An aircraft manufacturing company that chose to locate on property at SRQ reminded us recently that while the airport location was a key factor in their decision, equally important was that they feel welcome in Manatee County.

A business and local government culture that makes companies feel welcome is a higher priority than one might think. Removing obstacles to capital investment and job creation, connecting companies to local resources and relationships — these are tools in the EDC’s kit that help us make a difference for working people, their families and the community.

To learn more about Manatee County’s aviation ecosystem, check out our brief video on the subject.