By Jesse Phillips
Co-founder of the Winter Springs Community Association.
Some may think of Winter Springs as a commuter city, but it’s home to key economic drivers like ITI Engineering, which produces important parts for the F-35. The President of ITI Engineering recently voiced his opinion about the program and its impact on his company in the Orlando Sentinel and his comments caught my eye for a number of reasons.
ITI Engineering has nearly 300 people working in Winter Springs in a variety of roles. This is exactly the type of company we want in our community, and they are not alone in Central Florida. The F-35 project utilizes a network of more than 30 small businesses and is responsible for the creation of close to 2,200 direct jobs and close to 7,000 total jobs in Orange and Seminole counties. All told, the economic impact of that project alone is $8 billion and an indirect economic impact of more than $15 billion across the state.
These are truly eye-popping numbers.
There are some who believe this program is not essential to our nation’s defense. They look at unmanned drones as a more effective way to guard the skies.
I believe that both have a place in national security, but there is nothing that can replace the instincts and skills of our best pilots making split-second, life-saving decisions using the highest level of aircraft technology. The F-35 Lightning II must remain a part of our defense programs.
The numbers also underscore the importance of this program not only our national defense, but to our local community. Our region, Seminole County and the City of Winter Springs has prioritized the diversification of Central Florida's economy beyond its foundation with the tourism industry.
We’ve invested in new programs and partnerships with the University of Central Florida and other academic institutions to create a pipeline of graduates with the skills and education to work in industries such as: aerospace, defense, biosciences, healthcare and technology.
We’ve created initiatives to attract and grow businesses (especially small businesses and start-ups) in those industries.
We’ve worked equally hard to create a community with an incredibly high quality of life, where college graduates want to stay and where top talent from other areas wants to live.
The Winter Springs community has benefited from this diversification more than most. Being close to the center of the modeling, simulation and training industry in Research Park has created opportunities for our residents, new customers for our businesses and a quality of life unmatched in Florida.
The result of this shared effort is why the F-35 project has thrived in Central Florida and in Winter Springs. What’s more, it’s proof that our investments to diversify and remake our economy are working and that our community is well-positioned to own the future when it comes to quality careers and employers.
So, when we see an F-35 Lightning II in the skies, or when we hear about a new delivery of these aircraft to military bases here in our state, it should serve as a reminder and a point of pride of the work our neighbors and friends are doing to strengthen and modernize our economy, along with keeping our region and our country safe.
