Miami, Nov. 2, 2021 – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) received the 2021 Exemplary Practice Awards, presented by the Association of Florida Colleges Workforce, Adult and Continuing Education Commission. The annual award recognizes outstanding programs and professionals. The College received first place in the category of Faculty Development and Technology Employer Partnerships & Business Engagement in Technology Programs. MDC received second place in the category of Automotive Tech and Employer Engagement Leading to Apprenticeship.
For the first-place category of Faculty Development and Technology Employer Partnerships & Business Engagement in Technology Programs, MDC expanded its work with the business community to infuse workforce relevant technologies into the curriculum. THE BIT Center developed remote workshops and collaborated with the business community to bring workforce tools and professionals online and in the classroom for Cybersecurity and BIT centers.
The centers also offered a vast array of courses, webinars, and other learning opportunities, including: Digital Marketing Analytics; Introduction to Email Marketing; Introduction to Business Analytics and Visualization; Basics of Technical Analysis for Financial Trading or Ecommerce and the Future of Supply Chain. Classes integrate theory with hands-on lab experience to expose students to the latest technology and software needs, including Tableau for data visualization, Bloomberg for investment management, Salesforce for sales automation and various digital media and advertising platforms such as Facebook or Google.
For the second-place category of Automotive Tech and Employer Engagement Leading to Apprenticeship, MDC recently launched the Automotive Technician Specialist Apprenticeship program in partnership with Bean Automotive Group. It provides the opportunity to offer the local community the education and training to develop an exciting and rewarding career within the automotive Industry. This apprenticeship program combines classroom instructions and on-the-job training at a service center. This initiative was created to help close the talent demand in a competitive automotive service industry that is constantly seeking top talent. This MDC program is the latest example of a collaboration of community partners, with the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, CareerSource South Florida, and Miami Dade College uniting forces to support and make this program a success. Participants receive health insurance benefits, free tuition, books, and toolkits to ensure their success.
MDC is the first academic institution in Florida to receive the designation of Program Sponsor by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). As a Program Sponsor, MDC is authorized to register occupations, employers, and apprentices to participate in a Registered Apprenticeship Program. The MDC Apprenticeship Program currently has six Registered Apprenticeship Programs.
The Association of Florida Colleges, Inc. is the professional association of Florida’s 28 public member institutions of the Florida College System, their boards, employees, retirees and associates, and the employees of the Division of Florida Colleges. The mission of the Association is to actively promote, represent, and support members and institutions as they provide their students and the citizens of Florida with a world-class college system.
The annual award is sponsored by the Association of Florida Colleges and recognizes outstanding programs and professionals. The objective of the AFC’s Workforce, Adult, and Continuing Education Commission includes providing participation in all areas related to workforce and adult education programs and practices. It is a resource network to help faculty, administrators, and support staff to stay abreast of workforce and adult related issues as well as best practices.
For more information, contact Dr. Loretta Ovueraye, Vice Provost of the Workforce Programs & Professional Learning, 305-237-7296, loretta.ovueraye@mdc.edu