In FIBA’s well-developed tradition, the leading practitioners, solution providers and other industry specialists will convene once again and bring the industry players together to learn from each other, network and share best practices. Join us and be part of the much anticipated 2015 FIBA Wealth Management Forum.
After 10 years of flying solo, IATA’s Maintenance Cost Conference (MCC) joined forces with the World Maintenance Symposium (WMS) to tackle even more cost and technical industry issues!
The 11th MCC focused on innovative cost reduction and productivity improvement solutions, with an emphasis on actual airline case studies: best practices and success stories.
The brand new WMS provides a unique forum for airlines, OEMs, MROs and IATA Strategic Partners from all sectors to address the complexities of airline technical operations.
Each day, technology becomes an even more essential tool for banks and financial institutions seeking to grow for years to come. In today’s environment, these institutions are challenged with meeting the expectations of tech-savvy customers, while striving to improve efficiency and performance within a complex regulatory environment.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) working collaboratively with the Beacon Council, has recognized this trend and has made preparing students for the workforce a priority. As part of the Beacon Council’s One Community One Goal (OCOG) Target Industry Strategic Plan, M-DCPS has worked to align student coursework, training and internship programs that target seven professional industries – aviation, creative design, hospitality and tourism, information technology, international banking and finance, life sciences and health care, and trade and logistics.
M-DCPS Career Technical Education (CTE) ensures students are college and career-ready through programs aligned to career clusters. CTE students graduate with world-class academic and technological skills, and industry-recognized certifications critical to their transition to higher education and careers, giving them an edge in the career and college application process. Recognized by the National Academy Foundation, the district’s industry-themed career academies – which support skill development and career awareness related to OCOG target industries – are a model for the nation. Stu-dents participate in summer internships; network with business and community leaders; participate in community service projects, and are eligible for dual enrollment courses and college scholarships.
Initiatives like the Superintendent’s Business Advisory Council encourage school/business partnerships that expand the conversation around creating a roadmap to success for students. These and other district initiatives have made M-DCPS a national leader and among the highest performing districts in the nation as evidenced by the district’s 2012 Broad Prize recognition and the College Board AP Equity and Excellence District of the Year.
Invest: Miami moderates Manchester University’s panel on strategy with leading local experts: Andrew Stuart, President and COO of Norwegian Cruise Line, Carmen Gonzalez-Sanfeliu, Regional Vice President of Latin America & Caribbean Sales of Intelsat, Michael Edwards, Director, Head Client Solution Design – Latin America, Bank of America and Gonzalo Cortabarria, Senior Vice President, Brickell City Centre.
What niche does Miami Dade College (MDC) occupy in the educational landscape of South Florida?
In Miami-Dade County, it is hard to find a household that has not been touched by this college. Like myself, many of this county’s leaders – the mayor, commissioners, 17 bank presidents – are MDC graduates. They are also immigrants, and when they first arrived to Miami, MDC was the only college accessible to them, the only means for them to realize their American dream.
We have also played a key role in building Miami-Dade’s cultural infrastructure. Miami used to be referred to as a “cultural wasteland.” We came here and started the Miami Book Fair International, the Miami International Film Festival, MDC Live Arts – these were the precursors to the big developments in the arts that have taken place in recent years. We take a great deal of pride in this institution being a real community anchor.
What is MDC’s strategy for workforce development?
We have clustered our programs around the target industries identified by the Beacon Council. We have strong linkages with the business community, with over 700 local business leaders serving as advisors for our programs. If a program does not exist, we work hand in hand with business and industry to develop it.
Like much of the U.S., Miami is a predominantly small business community. As such, we cultivate entrepreneurship and innovation to give SMEs the tools to bring their business to the next level.
To further identify gaps, we conducted an exhaustive survey of collegiate programs in the U.S. to learn which programs we needed to either create or enhance to better serve the local community. This is how we created the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical and bioinformatics programs, as well as the robotics engineering, data analytics, cybersecurity, animation and game development programs.
How do you envision the local workforce evolving?
Our goal is to ensure that the local talent are equipped to meet the rapidly changing needs of industry. For instance, the county is looking to grow its film industry. In response, we created a film school, so that if a production company wanted to shoot here, they would only need to call us and we would provide them with everything they needed, from equipment to personnel. If production companies had to bring their own personnel here, it would make the process more expensive for them, and Miami less attractive as a filming destination.
That said, technical competence, while necessary, is not sufficient to developing a competitive workforce. Soft skills are critical too. What really helps students succeed is to be able to engage in critical thinking – we place great value on liberal arts for this reason. We work to develop students who can adapt to a rapidly changing workforce, contribute to their society and become lifelong learners.
Latin America Trade and Economic Forum is the event that brings together all of the business components interested in promoting Florida’s position as a major gateway to International Trade Finance. The aim is to provide timely information from a broad range of experts on advantages and challenges of Florida’s role as an important global trade finance center.