Broward College Receives the Highest Industry Certification Incentive Funding for the 2019-20 Academic Year

The $1.2 million in funding will help drive initiatives to increase the number of students who earn industry credentials.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (August 6, 2020) – With high-quality workforce credentials in high demand, Broward College has consistently kept pace with employer needs by embedding nationally recognized industry certification competencies within its programs. This has resulted in better outcomes for students and, most recently, a significant incentive of just over $1.2 million from the Florida Department of Education for the number of certifications earned by students for the 2019-20 academic year. This amount is the highest funding ever received by the institution, and it places the College second in the state for the number of industry certifications earned. 

During the academic year, Broward College students earned 1,208 certifications or licenses in public safety, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, and transportation. The CAPE Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List is a part of the state colleges' incentive funding to strengthen connections between education programs and workforce needs. For 2019-20, the state awarded $994 to colleges for each incentive earned by students. The College will reinvest the funds to support student success initiatives leading toward additional industry credentials.

"This is a considerable accomplishment as many of our spring 2020 students were unable to sit for certification exams, due to the closure of testing centers,” said Dr. Mildred Coyne, senior vice president of Workforce Education and Innovation. "Our students are prepared to enter the workforce as industries continue to expand. We must create a platform where they can get new and advanced technical skills and qualifications employers are searching for, and this is one of the many ways the College ensures we give our students a competitive advantage in the market." 

Last year, Broward College recommended to the state seven new industry certifications in addition to the more than 150 post-secondary certifications already offered in high-demand industries.

Industry certifications are approved third-party tests that prove that students meet or exceed the established industry standard.