Miami Dade College and IBM Initiative to Support Faculty Training, Next-Gen Skills

Miami Dade College is collaborating with IBM on a spate of workforce development offerings, including expanded faculty training as well as digital courses in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity and quantum computing. The goal: to "enable students of diverse backgrounds and experiences to have access to strategic skills necessary to help them succeed in a rapidly changing workplace," according to a news announcement.

The work will focus on four areas:

  • As part of the MDC/IBM Skills Academy Academic Initiative, IBM Global University Programs will donate guest lectures, curriculum content, digital badges, software, faculty training and more (totaling more than $10 million in assets), to help provide a foundation of in-demand skills to MDC students and community members.
  • Working with IBM's Academic Initiative and IBM Skills Academy, a new Artificial Intelligence Center at MDC will focus on applied AI, making artificial intelligence relevant across diverse curriculum areas. The center will be open to students in any discipline who want to learn new technologies.
  • IBM and MDC will continue their efforts to help MDC students identify and apply for job opportunities at IBM.
  • A pool of volunteer IBM Academic Ambassadors will offer guest lectures, mentoring, curriculum advice to faculty and students. Select ambassadors with deep expertise will serve on specialized advisory boards, to help plan strategic skills initiatives for faculty, students and community members.  

"As a leader in workforce innovation and development, MDC is poised to meet the growing demand for technology experts across the country," said MDC President Madeline Pumariega, in a statement. "We are proud to collaborate with IBM to support our nation's recovery through innovative workforce training and education initiatives. IBM´s extraordinary investment in MDC underscores our potential to execute visionary partnerships that provide students, and South Florida at large, the ultimate edge to seize new opportunities."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • illustration of a futuristic building labeled "AI & Innovation," featuring circuit board patterns and an AI brain motif, surrounded by geometric trees and a simplified sky

    Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center

    In an effort to advance AI innovation, foster community engagement, and prepare students for careers in STEM fields and business, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona has teamed up with AI, cloud, and advisory services provider Avanade to launch a new Avanade AI & Innovation Center.

  • black graduation cap with a glowing blue AI brain circuit symbol on top

    Report: AI Is a Must for Modern Learners

    A new report from VitalSource identifies a growing demand among learners for AI tools, declaring that "AI isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must."

  • glowing shield hovers above a digital cloud platform with abstract data streams and cloud icons in the background

    Google to Acquire Cloud Security Firm Wiz

    Google has announced it will acquire cloud security startup Wiz. If completed, the acquisition — an all-cash deal valued at $32 billion — would mark the largest in Google's history.

  • digital dashboard featuring a shield icon, graphs, a world map, and network nodes

    IBM Introduces Agentic AI Governance and Security Platform

    IBM has launched a new software stack for enterprise IT teams tasked with managing the complex governance and security challenges posed by autonomous AI systems.