Filling the Pipeline

HOW MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE AIMS TO PROVIDE THE TECH TALENT FOR EXPANDING BUSINESSES

BY J.P. FABER

In February, multinational software developer Kaseya announced it would add 3,400 jobs to its Miami offices over the next three years. The news came as another affirmation of Miami’s growing importance as a global hub for innovation and commerce, coming on top of a slew of relocations to the city by tech, legal, and finance firms over the previous few years.

But the announcement also begged a critical question: With so many tech startups and relocations in the works, where would the talent come from? The city is certainly witnessing an influx of entrepreneurs and techies from not just U.S. cities like New York, Chicago, and San Jose, but from across the Americas. That may not be enough, however. Ready to fill the gap between need and supply is Miami-Dade College (MDC), rushing to expand its tech-related curriculum to meet the demand.

“The tech work force is a major priority for us, and for us to continue to help our students be part of the future,” says Pamela Fuertes, dean of MDC’s Miguel B. Fernandez Family School of Global Business, Trade & Transportation. “We are making data driven decisions that closely follow the needs of the community.”

The school, named after one of Miami’s billionaire healthcare entrepreneurs, was founded nine years ago, and has since seen its role expand as part of what Fuertes calls “the innovation corridor” at MDC: its co-located Business Innovation Technology (BIT) Center, Cybersecurity Center of the Americas, and recently opened AI Center. “We are looking at how technology and innovation are essential for our future, and how we can connect the dots between our curriculum and the business community, looking at the opportunities,” says Fuertes.

Currently the School of Global Business, Trade & Transportation with 11,000 students, has programs that include trade and logistics, supply chain management and leadership, and international business, banking, and finance. It also encompasses the Ed Watson School of Aviation and the Miami Culinary Institute, with an eye toward training students in the high-tech aspects of professional administration.

“When you think about Miami and the tech workforce, you have to realize that technology is horizontal,” says MDC President Madeline Pumariega. “Digital skills are going to be critical for the work force in every sector because there is no sector that technology is not modernizing. Every sector right now is responding to that demand, and we are going to see those tech skills [needed] across every industry sector.”

MDC is consequently offering courses in everything from cloud computing and cybersecurity to artificial intelligence and data analytics. That was one reason why 21-year-old student Selene Ulloa decided to enroll in a two-year Associate's degree in business administration. “You still have to understand the basic principles for managing businesses, but we are evolving into a more technological world,” she says, requiring fluency in data and software analytics. Ulloa is currently part of a Student Managed Investment Fund team at the BIT Center that is investing in both traditional stocks and cryptocurrencies. “And I am now doing a summer camp on the

TOP: PAMELA FUERTES, SHOWN CENTER WITH STUDENTS, IS DEAN OF MDC’S MIGUEL B. FERNANDEZ FAMILY SCHOOL OF GLOBAL BUSINESS, TRADE & TRANSPORTATION.

ABOVE: SELENE ULLOA, CENTER, WITH OTHER STUDENTS IN THE BUSINESS INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CLASSROOM use of AI in business,” she says.

The impact of MDC’s programs is not lost on potential investors who want to relocate to, or launch from, Miami, says Pumariega. “When you are starting to scale up and grow your business, you are always thinking about human capital. Do you have the capacity to take on this big contract? You can import the talent from another state, but CEOs need to know they have the talent here to expand.” In 2023, some 12,000 students will graduate with an AA or BA degree from MDC, “a significant number” of which have taken courses in advanced technologies. l