Manufacturing Sector Growth Opens Rewarding Careers


November 2nd, 2026

Manufacturing workforce Charlotte County

Southwest Florida’s manufacturing workforce now tops 24,000 people, and Charlotte County is training the next wave close to home. According to the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association, those jobs span Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties. Better yet, the count has risen steadily in recent years, as WGCU reported on October 27.

Who Makes Up the Manufacturing Workforce Near Charlotte County?

Take Dora Mendoza. WGCU profiled her at Azimuth Technology in Collier County, where the single mother of two works as a machine operator. Her standard is simple. “And I want to make sure it comes out right,” she said.

Azimuth employs 260 people at several Collier plants and hopes to double that number within five years. Meanwhile, machine operators there start at $17 an hour, and pay rises as workers move up. CEO Tommy Thacker said drive matters most. “The skill sets we can teach,” he said.

Where Charlotte County’s Manufacturing Workforce Starts

So where do those teachable skills begin locally? For many students, the answer is Port Charlotte High School. Its advanced manufacturing program covers robotics, CNC machining and quality control. After graduation, students can keep going at Charlotte Technical College, which also offers advanced manufacturing training for adults.

A Training Center Takes Shape at Punta Gorda Airport

Next comes a bigger step. In June, the Southwest Florida Advanced Manufacturing Training Center broke ground in Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park at Punta Gorda Airport. Led by Charlotte County Public Schools and Charlotte Technical College, the center is backed by $1.75 million in state funding. Once open, it’s expected to support training in CNC, welding, aerospace and other technical fields.

Its location matters, too. The site sits close to aviation, logistics and industrial employers, so Charlotte County’s future manufacturing workforce trains near the jobs.

For manufacturers weighing a move or expansion, that adds up to a manufacturing workforce Charlotte County is building from the classroom to the shop floor. As SRMA director Dr. Phil Wright-Grant told WGCU, young people “don’t have to move out of Southwest Florida” to find good manufacturing careers.

Ready to talk sites, training partners or hiring? Our team at Charlotte County Economic Development is a good place to start.

Sources

https://www.wgcu.org/section/business/2026-10-27/manufacturing-sector-shows-some-growth-in-southwest-florida
https://englewoodreview.com/?p=7693
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