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Miami Dade College (MDC) recently graduated over 14,000 students at three commencement ceremonies, who now join more than 2.5 million alumni transforming our communities. While a college degree has never been more important; the ability to apply that knowledge in practical ways is essential for a well-rounded education.
In today’s competitive job market, students who complete internships are twice as likely to be hired after graduation and earn higher wages. At MDC, we’re committed to developing strategic internships where students gain essential skills and real-world experience that places them at the top of the talent pool.
This month, MDC launched the Miami Startup Ecosystem Internship Program, a groundbreaking initiative that brings together stakeholders and leaders in education, technology and local government to match MDC students with paid internships at tech startups and small to midsize businesses across the county, helping to nurture our local talent while supporting Miami’s thriving tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem, including more than 1,400 small businesses in Dade County.
Managed by The Idea Center at MDC, the program is supported by a $1 million grant from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation and JPMorganChase. In addition, we’ve partnered with Tech Equity Miami, a first-of-its-kind funding consortium deploying $100 million over five years to help create and expand pathways into tech-based careers, to grow and sustain the program over the next couple of years.
Through this program, we aim to place more than 200 students in meaningful, work-based learning opportunities over the next two years with participating employers across a range of industries, including technology, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing and supply chain. By sharing the cost of student wages, MDC and its employer partners are building a sustainable pipeline that makes it easier for businesses to connect with talent. Interns will also benefit from expert-led workshops, speaker events and professional networking opportunities. Too often, employers say they struggle to find the right talent or don’t know the best way to engage students in work-based learning. At MDC, we’re closing that gap—bringing the classroom into the workplace and equipping students with the experience and confidence they need to thrive.
Talent is the driver of economic development, and MDC’s role is critical to that success. By connecting students directly with employers, our internships are game changers—designed to bridge the gap between education and industry and create clear, immediate pathways to high-paying jobs.
Last summer, computer science major Nicolas Gonzalez completed an internship at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where he was instrumental in creating software automation for payload stowage. Anthony Propescu went to New York, where he was selected for a highly competitive internship at Bloomberg L.P. supporting sales teams and providing fund managers with critical analytics.
Two MDC students transformed their summer internships into full-time employment. Valerie Vasquez, a cybersecurity major, interned at Carnival Corporation where she worked on two major projects involving ship security and an internal safety alert system. Fashion Design major and aspiring entrepreneur, Stephanie Duque, interned at Baliawear, a Miami-based fashion line inspired by the tropical styles of Bali, where she learned every aspect of the business.
Several MDC students also participated in the Impact Investment Internship Program, another initiative spearheaded by The Idea Center at MDC in partnership with Blackstone LaunchPad and the Sorenson Impact Institute. The program assembled teams of students from top institutions across the country – including Duke University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Texas in Austin – to underwrite real venture capital deals for investing clients. One intern, Nicole Dini, sourced the first deal for a South Florida startup.
In addition, over 30 MDC students have interned at the International Federation of Association Football’s (FIFA) headquarters in Coral Gables; three were hired full-time in the areas of sustainability, human resources and logistics. Meanwhile, investment firm Altura Capital selected four MDC students for a 10-week internship as private credit analysts.
In the tech sector, we’re helping to grow the talent pipeline through various initiatives such as Miami Tech Works, a tech industry-led coalition of business and education leaders fueled by a $10 million Good Jobs Challenge grant. More than 1,700 participants have enrolled in training programs, several hundred placed in jobs and 258 have been selected for internships.
The work we are doing to inspire and grow local talent truly matters. Internships offer much more than practical work experience; they also open doors to other opportunities and empower students to grow and become leaders and agents of change, fostering essential skills such as critical thinking, leadership, communication and teamwork.
