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Miami Dade College’s (MDC) School of Engineering and Technology (EnTec) will receive a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation for nearly $600,000 for the launch of MDC’s Women RISE (Reinvigorating Industry Support & Empowerment) program, which will empower more women to enter emerging technology fields, such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, IoT and data analytics.
“We are excited to serve as a catalyst for increasing the number of women in the tech industry with the creation of the Women RISE program,” said MDC president Madeline Pumariega. “This grant will allow MDC to create more opportunities for young girls and women, as well as continue preparing the next generation tech workforce.”
Miami-Dade County has seen a tremendous growth of new industries in the past decade. As critical as technology is to virtually every industry in the U.S., women in this field continue to be widely underrepresented, even with substantial evidence that diversity in the workplace contributes to increased productivity in highly skilled occupations.
MDC’s Women RISE aims to increase the educational attainment of women in high-technology fields that are driving the local economy. By increasing women’s access to computing jobs, this project can help mitigate the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on career entry and progression of women in STEM fields.
Women RISE offers MDC students the opportunity to personally connect with top female IT industry leaders through its Alliance for Women in Tech mentorship and professional network. Students also will receive a success coach and internship coordinator to provide personal support throughout the program and into the internship and employment process; entry to the Tech JumpStart Summer program that prepares new students to succeed in technology degree programs, and test prep for in-demand industry certifications.
Program participants can pursue an associate’s degree in cybersecurity, computer information technology, computer programming analysis- internet of things (IoT) applications, networking services technology- enterprise cloud computing, business intelligence specialist, and varied EnTec degree programs.
For more information about MDC’s Women RISE program, visit https://mdc.tips/womenrise.
