Miami Dade College Promotes Statewide CTE Opportunities

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.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • magnifying glass with AI icon in the center

    Google Intros Learning-Themed AI Mode Features for Search

    Google has announced new AI Mode features in Search, including image and PDF queries on desktop, a Canvas tool for planning, real-time help with Search Live, and Lens integration in Chrome. Features are launching in the U.S. ahead of the school year.

  • geometric pattern features abstract icons of a dollar sign, graduation cap, and document

    Maricopa Community Colleges Adopts Platform to Combat Student Application Fraud

    In an effort to secure its admissions and financial processes, Maricopa Community Colleges has partnered with A.M. Simpkins and Associates (AMSA) to implement the company's S.A.F.E (Student Application Fraudulent Examination) across the district's 10 institutions.

  • college students in a classroom focus on a silver laptop, with a neural network diagram on the monitor in the background

    Report: 93% of Students Believe Gen AI Training Belongs in Degree Programs

    The vast majority of today's college students — 93% — believe generative AI training should be included in degree programs, according to a recent Coursera report. What's more, 86% of students consider gen AI the most crucial technical skill for career preparation, prioritizing it above in-demand skills such as data strategy and software development.

  • row of students using computers in a library

    A Return to Openness: Apereo Examines Sustainability in Open Source

    Surprisingly, on many of our campuses, even the IT leadership responsible for the lion's share of technology deployments doesn't realize the extent to which the institution is dependent on open source. And that lack of awareness can be a threat to campuses.