Beyond Sarasota County’s blue skies and bountiful beaches are countless career opportunities that offer a work-life balance unlike any other. The county is ranked No. 5 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live in the U.S. list for 2023-24. The region's quality of life is our superpower.

According to the report, Americans in the workforce increasingly seek cities for quality of life and not just job opportunities. Sarasota County’s business landscape has become more diverse, creating more opportunities for job seekers. No matter what industry, the most common topic I hear from local employers is workforce availability. In a growing market like ours, the workforce is a major factor in our economic success.

Through public-private partnerships, Sarasota County is – and has been – adapting and collaborating to attract talent and grow diverse job opportunities. The EDC of Sarasota County keeps a close eye on key trends affecting our business competitiveness. A prime example of this proactive approach is the ongoing “Work Where You Want to Live” campaign.

Launched in 2021, the EDC of Sarasota County and Visit Sarasota County partnered to develop, and trademark a campaign designed to attract new, working-aged residents from national markets, where known Sarasota County visitors are located, and connect them to open positions with local employers. A blend of media outreach, digital content, paid social media and digital marketing is aimed at regions like New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C. Visitors are directed to a website that has a host of Visit Sarasota County’s relocation resources, and the EDC of Sarasota County’s job search portal that promotes local companies’ open positions in real-time.

On the backend, the EDC of Sarasota County can monitor where job seekers are located and what careers they view. For instance, this week an individual from Kentucky was seeking a job in technology and another one from Massachusetts was seeking an office manager position.

The EDC of Sarasota County was recently recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for excellence in economic development at the IEDC 2023 Annual Conference. We received an award in the Talent Development & Retention category for the Work Where You Want to Live campaign.

The EDC of Sarasota County’s mission is to grow, diversify and sustain the economy of Sarasota County while enhancing its unique natural and cultural environment. We are committed to being creative and collaborative in our approach to serving our business community.