MIAMI DADE COLLEGE COLLEGE JOB TRAINING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY Miami Dade College Leads the Way in Hands-On Learning f orum November 2018 • Volume 22 • Number 4 A tour of Miami Dade College’s Makers Lab might leave the impression it’s a place for fun and games: There’s the Formula SAE race car, the robots, a rocket and even prosthetics for our four-legged furry friends. But make no mistake, this lab is serious about learning – and setting its students on the pathway to high-tech success. MDC is reinventing today’s education model to reflect current work-force needs, offering more programs and resources that allow students to learn by doing even before graduation. The College’s Makers Lab – but one example of forward-focused curricula – enables students to create and collaborate using the latest technology, from 3D printers to advanced software to laser cutters. “Some of the undertakings here are small, and some are complex legacy projects,” said Makers Lab Manager Ralph Provisero. “In either case, the work being done here is the type of project-based work that companies and universities look for in applicants. The problem-solving skills they develop in the Lab can positively affect the rest of a student’s life.” Similarly, quickly evolving and high-demand fields including virtual and augmented reality , data analysis , cybersecurity and mechatronics are taking center stage at MDC – and for good reason. Many of these areas are poised for growth in the immediate future. The number of jobs for U.S. data professionals are expected to increase by 364,000 to 2.7 million by 2020, according to IBM. MDC’s bachelor’s degree in data analytics targets that growing demand. Also in the digital realm is MDC’s new Cybersecurity Center of the Americas featuring a Cyberbit Range, a simulation platform that mimics different network attack scenarios. The Wolfson Campus center is open seven days a week to accommodate all the companies seeking to train their employees. As technology advances, so does the need for workers in advanced manufacturing and automation. In addition to its engineering de-grees, the College has launched the MDC WORKS Apprenticeship Program, through which students are paid to work as they learn a trade. MDC has been designated the first Sponsor of Apprenticeship in Florida. Learn more about the Makers Lab on pages 16 and 17. MDC Business School Named For Successful Entrepreneur Miami Dade College’s business school is taking on a new identity. The school was named the Miguel B. Fernandez Family School of Global Business, Trade and Transportation at a dedication ceremony at MDC, Kendall Campus in honor of billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist Miguel “Mike” B. Fernandez, a longtime friend and advocate of MDC. “Miami Dade College’s mission is centered on the belief that op-portunity changes everything,” said Fernandez, chairman of the private equity firm MBF Healthcare Partners. “I am proud to have my name asso-ciated with an institution that offers diverse, innovative and affordable educational options to individuals from all walks of life.” Fernandez is a renowned figure in the South Florida business commu-nity. The College’s business school, one of the fastest-growing divisions at MDC, aims to instill its 14,000-plus Investor, Philanthropist Mike Fernandez Honored for Dedication to College students with the same values that helped fuel Fernandez’s meteoric rise. It’s all part of the College’s com-mitment to improving the lives of students and supporting the commu-nity. MDC has the highest upward mobility rate among all Florida public colleges and is among the top four non-selective colleges and uni-versities in the nation, with 36 percent of students moving up at least two income quintiles after graduating and entering the workforce. Continued on Page 15 COLLEGE Miguel B. Fernandez forum 1
College Forum Volume 22 • Number 4: Page 1
