Broward UP™ Builds Momentum with Another Municipal MOU with City West Park

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (June 27, 2019) – The City of West Park is the latest municipality to join Broward UP, the community-centric approach developed by Broward College to improve educational attainment in Broward County. In an overwhelming vote of support, city officials agreed that the partnership with Broward UP would help meet its goals of retaining and promoting employment opportunities and economic growth among residents.

Officially signed on June 19, 2019, the MOU will see the College providing direct support in the design and delivery of:

• On-site workshops, courses, and programs for West Park residents
• Certification training at identified city locations aligned to employment within the area
• An access strategy for city employees and residents to earn Broward College degrees and certifications
• STEM, coding and technology training
• College and career-readiness campaign for West Park residents and employees 
• Entrepreneurial programming

Hailing the partnership as a significant step in the City's economic and social development strategy, Mayor Eric Jones said, "The partnership with Broward UP will go a long way toward bridging academic and economic gaps for residents in the City of West Park. The City Of West Park sees Broward UP as one of the means of bridging the academic gap which will help in closing the economic gap that exists for some people because of a lack of accessibility to what is available.  Making what's available accessible will go a long way towards eliminating this gap. Our partnership with Broward UP provides an excellent path to forging a connection between people who would like to advance, but find it difficult to take advantage of what's available."

Broward UP, which stands for 'unlimited potential' serves to remove barriers, improve lives through postsecondary attainment, and build partnerships to help every person realize their Unlimited Potential. While Broward County's unemployment rate is approximately 3.3 percent, it soars to more than 10 percent in some cities, with some zip codes reaching unemployment levels nearing 13 percent. In response to this disparity, Broward UP has adopted three goals: increase college access and attendance, improve degree and certificate attainment, and holistically raise social and economic mobility.

"The objective of these partnerships is to work together to improve lives," said Broward College President Gregory Adam Haile, Esq. "We are ready to activate our resources in these communities to ensure residents have access to the training and skills needed to improve their careers and overall livelihoods."

The College also plans to pursue additional partnerships with other municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, places of worship, businesses, and funders.