Little by little, Southwest Florida’s workforce is getting more skilled. The FutureMakers Coalition is an initiative by local leaders to raise the overall education level of the area’s workers. The goal: By 2025, 55% of the labor force (ages 25-64) will have some sort of education beyond the high school level. According to a new report tracking its progress, that number was at about 41.5% in 2019. Leading the way are Lee and Collier counties, which are at 42.2% and 45.4%, respectively. Charlotte (37%), Glades (20%) and Hendry (21.5%) are all below average. Overall, the skilled workforce has been steadily climbing as the population grows, increasing about 17% since 2013.