Workforce Readiness

Miami Dade College Promotes Statewide CTE Opportunities

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 10/19/20

The eight-campus Miami Dade College is applying a $2.3 million grant to publicizing its career and technical education programs and boosting the number of scholarships available to students pursuing CTE. The grant came from the Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund, which was part of the federal CARES Act, issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The college system, which delivers 150 workforce programs, will work with the Florida Department of Education on "Get There," which offers summaries of about 17 different high-demand career pathways and helps people connect to the colleges in their areas, whether that be a Miami Dade campus or another state institution.

While Florida's unemployment claims have hit a "pandemic low," according to media reports (7.6 percent in September), the state is bracing for additional layoffs through the next several months, particularly in hospitality, leisure and transportation segments.

The job training programs profiled on Get There include:

• Logistics, transportation and distribution;
• Digital marketing;
• Cloud computing;
• Animation and game art;
• Cybersecurity;
• Funeral services;
• Visual and augmented reality;
• Manufacturing technology;
• Early childhood education;
• Respiratory care;
• Pharmacy technician;
• Paralegal studies; and
• Nursing.

"We are excited to partner with the Florida Department of Education and grateful for the governor's support that will allow us to expand offerings of our rapid credentialing programs," said MDC Interim President Rolando Montoya, in a statement. "Get There is an important initiative to help connect unemployed or underemployed individuals with education resources to better their futures."

"Career and technical education matters more than ever," added Henry Mack, chancellor for Career, Technical and Adult Education in the Florida Department of Education. "Get There raises awareness about CTE and helps everyone envision the power of a workforce training opportunity for professional and personal wellbeing."

Last year, Governor DeSantis issued an executive order that set a goal for Florida to become "number 1 in workforce education" by the year 2030.