Award will allow thousands of local residents to receive job training and placement in high-quality technology jobs over the next three years
Miami, August 4, 2022 – Miami Dade College (MDC) and a group of local partners have been awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to implement Miami Tech Works as part of the Good Jobs Challenge. The project will support the region’s growing technology ecosystem and catalyze economic mobility for underserved workers over the next three years. MDC was one of 32 winners selected from a competitive pool of more than 500 applicants from across the country.
“With support from key partners, this award allows the College to assist the local workforce by providing job training and placement within the fast-growing technology sector,” said MDC President Madeline Pumariega. “Along with MDC’s innovative tech program offerings and partnerships, the College continues to offer pathways for advancement in dynamic and ever-growing industries.”
Miami Tech Works is a partnership to serve thousands of local residents with opportunities to receive training, wraparound services, and job placement services in high-quality technology jobs. Through a strong collaboration between academic institutions, the private sector and government, Miami Tech Works will strengthen the regional approach to provide the local community with a full pathway to employment in the growing Miami tech ecosystem.
MDC is collaborating with several partners on this initiative, including Miami-Dade County, City of Miami, CareerSource South Florida, Florida International University, Florida Memorial University, OIC of South Florida, Refresh Miami, Talent Development Network, coding academies and more than 50 employers committed to hiring tech positions locally.
The award is part of the $500 million Good Jobs Challenge funded by U.S. President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan. The Good Jobs Challenge is administered by the EDA and will enable communities across the country to invest in innovative approaches to workforce development that will secure job opportunities for more than 50,000 Americans.
“A trained workforce is essential to ensuring that the United States can compete and succeed in the 21st century,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan, the Commerce Department is able to make once-in-a-generation investments in industry-driven, and locally-led workforce systems that will create high-quality jobs and accelerate regional economic growth, especially for underserved communities.”
The Good Jobs Challenge is part of a suite of American Rescue Plan programs developed by EDA to equitably distribute its three-billion-dollar allocation to assist communities nationwide in efforts to build a better America by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building more resilient, shockproof local economies.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. For more information, visit www.eda.gov.