Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling got a firsthand look at how Miami Dade College is preparing students for some of Florida’s most in-demand skilled careers during a visit to MDC’s North Campus.
Sonderling toured the College’s Broadband Utilities Lab, where students train for careers in telecommunications, fiber optics and utility infrastructure through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on learning.
The visit included a live demonstration by MDC students enrolled in aerial lineworker training. Students scaled utility poles at the College’s outdoor training site and demonstrated skills in an environment designed to replicate the conditions they will encounter on the job.
At the center of the program is MDC’s partnership with Miami-based infrastructure company MasTec. The model creates a direct pathway from training to employment: students enter an intensive program that takes approximately four weeks to complete, learning the technical and safety skills needed to work in the field. Upon successfully completing the program, students can transition directly into full-time positions with MasTec, helping meet the company’s workforce needs in fiber optics and telecommunications infrastructure across Florida.
The Broadband Utilities Lab, developed with MasTec as part of MDC’s Construction Trades Institute, allows students to train using the equipment, techniques and real-world scenarios they will encounter on the job. The curriculum was developed with direct industry input and prepares students for industry-recognized credentials in areas including fiber optics and workplace safety.
Sonderling also met with MDC students preparing for careers across the skilled trades, including electrical and HVAC programs, and heard directly from them about their training and career goals.
The visit highlighted MDC’s growing approach to workforce education: working directly with employers to build programs around real industry needs, provide students with hands-on experience and create faster, clearer pathways from the classroom to a career.