People who study the regional economy generally agree on one thing: Southwest Florida needs a lot more workers in health care and construction.
That's where some people in an underprivileged part of Lee County come in.
They're starting a vocational-technical school for adults, hoping it will give Southwest Floridians more skills for good-paying jobs.
One immediate problem is the shortage of health care professionals and building trade workers.
The second issue is high costs for food and housing, and the fact that many people are struggling to pay more for just about everything.
One solution could be The Heights CareerTech Institute.
It's supposed to open next to Harlem Heights in Lee County in 18 or so months. It will teach trades to as many as 432 adults at a time, year-round.
"There will be confetti and balloons and a lot of cheering and crying, and it'll be awesome," Kathryn Kelly, President of the Heights Foundation, said.
Helping Harlem Heights is Kelly's life mission.
Historically the heights, which actually is a low-lying and flood-prone stretch of land, has been a poor and minority community in the Iona McGregor area.
Kelly set up the Heights Foundation 25 years ago. It raised money for a community center and K-to-fifth grade charter school. Now the foundation said it has raised about $26 million in private donations to build the vocational-technical school.
"If there's a problem we can help solve, then why wouldn't we?" Dr. Debra Mathinos asked.
She is Chief Programs Officer at the Heights Foundation. More simply put, Mathinos is Kelly's partner in finding ways to help people in need.
"There's nothing better for me personally and professionally, than when a person has that light bulb moment," Mathinos said. "And they realize: They are worthwhile. They do have skills they can contribute to the world. And we help them come to that realization."
CareerTech will be open to adults from the entire region. Right now the foundation is asking for $5 million from the state. It's also seeking $11 to 12 million from grants and other sources, to complete the funding, and start changing the lives of people like Martha Gallardo.
On a recent morning she was picking up items at Interfaith Charities food pantry in San Carlos Park. Gallardo said CareerTech sounds promising, because she needs work that pays more than her grocery store job.
"I'm hopeful because I need options," she said. "I need skills. Right now we live paycheck to paycheck. The money comes in here and goes right out there. It's not fun. Times are tough and we need more, more money to survive."
Kathryn Kelly said she's convinced CareerTech will give people better lives.
"We are setting them up to be productive and purposeful citizens because that's what we want," she said. "We want people to have a decent job, and pay their taxes, and we want them to take care of their families. And how much of a better way to do it, than this."
Rosa Valentin said she lives in the heights, and provides care for her grandchildren.
She added that they should go to CareerTech, and have a future, like that of one granddaughter, who just graduated from an existing vo-tech.
"Oh I was so happy when I saw her in that uniform for nursing," Valentin said. "I was keeping looking at her. She's doing something good because she was 21 already and she needed to do something with her life."
Dr. Debra Mathinos said she and Kelly have talked at length with regional economic experts, and they said the traditional trades are needed here for years to come.
"We are hearing from people: I have a seven-month wait before I can get a plumber to re-plumb the house (after a flood)," Mathinos said. "High-demand occupations over the next 10 years or more will be the old-fashioned trades, the building trades. And the medical."
She added that CareerTech also will have training in culinary occupations. Those too are projected to be in high demand in this region, she said.
CareerTech will be associated with the Lee County School District, but Kathryn Kelly promised the new place will remain true to the Heights Foundation.
"Our mission is to build self-sufficient families," Kelly said. "And to be self-sufficient, you need to have a decent job."
The State of Florida regulates tuition rates for vocational-technical schools. At the current rates CareerTech would charge at least $480 for a student to become a certified nursing assistant. And it would charge more than $3,000 at least to become a welder.
The foundation said some scholarships will be available through private grants and donations. And once it is accredited, CareerTech could have students apply for federal Pell Grants.
The founders said they hope that the institute will open the doors to its first students in late summer or fall of 2026.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. Mike Walcher is a reporter with WGCU News. He also teaches journalism at Florida Gulf Coast University.