Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Space industry leaders at the 2023 Future of Florida Forum say the Sunshine State is leading the space race and can continue to be the go-to state for space exploration in the years to come.
Led by Space Florida VP of External Affairs and Workforce Integration Mike Miller, panelists praised the work the state’s aerospace industry promotion arm has done to lure more space exploration startups to the state.
Still, workforce development is a recurring theme at the Future of Florida Forum, and the aerospace industry is as hungry for talent as any other industry.
Miller said Florida’s K-12, college and university systems are “all working together to make sure that the next-generation of workers is the strongest it can be because companies are making decisions not necessarily to come to Florida, they’re looking to Texas and Alabama and California and Virginia and other places.”
He added, “We want to have that workforce ready for when they make those decisions.”
The efforts are already bearing fruit. Early this year, Space Florida announced it was nearing a $1 billion annual economic impact and that the industry as a whole is adding billions to the state’s GDP while producing sizable incomes for the tech-savvy employees working in the field.
Big-name companies such as the Elon Musk-led SpaceX are responsible for a sizable portion of the state’s booming commercial space exploration economy, but smaller companies are also flocking to the state.
“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Florida,” said Chris Stott, whose St. Petersburg-based company Lonestar Holdings is launching its first mission to put data centers on the lunar surface in six weeks.
Meanwhile, other top aviation companies view the Sunshine State as a nexus for spaceflight. Boeing VP of Space Coast Operations Mark Nappi said his company has invested in Florida and partnered with state colleges and universities to build the talent pipeline.
“We are starving for technical skills — that’s hands-on skills as well as engineering skills and all the administrative skills that go with it. Those are really important for us to grow,” he said.
Lockheed Martin is doing the same, according to Nathan Varn, the company’s Test and Launch Ops Director for Orion Assembly. He said educators always ask what skills the company is looking for from new graduates.
“The easiest and quickest answer for us is a technician workforce, and so what we’ve tried to do is mold some of our strategies around workforce by partnering with Eastern Florida State College,” he said. “We actually have a very successful and long-standing apprenticeship program with them. Every semester, we take on three to four apprentices. And we’ve got something like a 95% acceptance rate after where we actually hire them in.”
Evening Reads
—“Ron DeSantis in Iowa calls for repeal on restrictions on bump stocks, pistol braces” via Phillip Sitter of the Des Moines Register
—“DeSantis, so eager to go after a foreign nation, ignores a real Florida crisis” via the Miami Herald editorial board
—“The history behind the Right’s effort to take over American universities” via Lauren Lassabe Shepherd of TIME
—“DeSantis staffers continue to leave Florida government for 2024 campaign” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times
—“Groups urge court to uphold striking down of DeSantis redistricting plan” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida
—“Florida rule would limit talk of ‘social issues’ at public universities” via Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times
—“Forget DeSantis: Walt Disney has a much bigger problem” via Daniel Kline of The Street
—“Academic freedom or state control: Court hearing will consider blocking key higher ed law” via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix
—“DeSantis’ censorious higher education policies will not go well for Florida” via Diane Roberts of the Florida Phoenix
—“UF student group fights corporal punishment in K-12 public schools” via Zoey Thomes of the Independent Florida Alligator
Quote of the Day
“He’s looking like he’s going to be in third place, maybe even fourth place.”
— Former President Donald Trump, on DeSantis’ odds in New Hampshire.
Put It on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is still floundering in presidential primary polls, but he no longer trails non-candidate Michelle Obama in the odds market. That’s worth a Consolation Prize, right?
The Florida delegation is lining up behind U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds for House Speaker. For now, that gets him an Underdog. But have a Winner ready if the pledges keep flowing in.
If Florida were a country, it would have the No. 16 economy in the world, so snag a Sweet Sixteen for Mark Wilson and the rest of the Florida Chamber team.
More good news for Florida drivers: Gas prices are at a 7-month low. With more cash in your pocket you can treat yourself to a Cash Money … and if you drive a gas guzzler, order it with top-shelf vodka.
Breakthrough Insights
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
