By: Katy Battafarano, Senior Manager of Research, Evaluation, & Community Impact, kbattafarano@tpma-inc.com
As evaluation month comes to a close, I’d like to highlight one of the most impactful evaluation relationships at TPMA: our professional relationship with Miami Dade College (MDC). My tenure at TPMA spans more than six years and I have been fortunate enough to build up my evaluation knowledge, largely due to lessons from and hands-on work with Miami Dade College. Situated in Miami with eight campuses, Miami Dade College is one of the largest higher education institutions in the country serving a diverse population with over 300 top-notch degree paths. TPMA has had the pleasure of working with MDC since 2015.
We’ve been fortunate to work on 17 projects, many large and multi-year, often funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). At a high level, TPMA’s evaluations with MDC have investigated curriculum and degree development, gained an understanding of programming to support women and students of color, and identified alignment to industry and job preparedness.
One of our biggest collaborations has been through evaluating MDC’s $10 million Good Jobs Challenge grant. This grant established Miami Tech Works and the Tech Talent Coalition consisting of employers, training providers, and other dedicated community members with the goal of placing homegrown Miami talent in advanced technology careers in the growing tech ecosystem in the region. MDC developed their programming and student experiences to be responsive and informative to the tech industry in Miami.
In turn, both traditional and non-traditional students have gateways and access to the local tech industry. Working collaboratively with other Miami higher education institutions, community organizations, and industry, MDC’s Miami Tech Works has become the connective tissue bridging the gap between employers and students. MDC and Tech Talent Coalition partners have connected students with internships, experiential learning, and full-time jobs. TPMA has collected data through Tech Talent Coalition interviews and observations, student interviews, participant surveys, and site visits. Data analysis produces evaluation findings that support ongoing improvement and surface best practices for these kinds of sector partnership efforts.
I was privileged to participate in a site visit which allowed me to see first-hand the innovative resources and spaces available for students, while interacting with instructors and staff. MDC is extremely dedicated to growing courses, certifications, and leading efforts. Besides being able to tour multiple facilities and visit a few campuses, I also attended a Tech Talent Coalition meeting where participants heard from various panels that included leaders from Tech Talent Coalition work groups, employer representatives, and those providing training experiences for students in the community. I recall a transformative experience shared by a student who discussed their MDC academic journey and the job they were able to achieve; it provided other students with the validation that they could have that success too. Overall, the commitment and willingness to continue building momentum in Miami was contagious.
As partners, it is wonderful to collect such powerful feedback and data that ultimately provides information and recommendations for program development and improvement.
MDC stands as a key innovator in shaping curricula, supportive resources, and crucial partnerships for applied technology career pathway development. It’s been purposeful in achieving continued funding for AI and other STEM endeavors, which have been fueled by their work as well as TPMA’s evaluations.
Being able to witness and partner in this process over more than 10 years has been an inspiration to me and an honor for TPMA.