The High-Skill initiative focuses on recruiting and retaining companies which support high-skill, high-wage employees and manufacture complex research-oriented products. The initiative is funded and supported by 26 investor companies, separate from the LEDC budget.

Pursuing high-skill, high-wage jobs that will improve Lakeland’s quality of life involves: developing higher education and economic development partnerships, facilitating the development of high-skill infrastructure (including a research university, Florida Polytechnic), downtown development, redevelopment, addressing healthcare needs, marketing, incentives, and city visits.