Can a Miami college student be the next Steve Jobs? It could start here

Miami Herald

06-05-2025

Business Can a Miami college student be the next Steve Jobs? It could start here
When Steve Jobs was 12, he called Hewlett Packard co-founder Bill Hewlett — whose number was in the phone book and lived nearby in Palo Alto, California — to ask him if he had any spare parts for a frequency counter he was building.
Hewlett laughed — then gave him the parts. And that summer, he offered the future Apple founder an internship on the HP assembly line.
Now, as tech professionals keep moving to South Florida, Miami Dade College wants students to get the same chance.
Way to a tech job
Launch of Miami Startup ecosystem Internship Program at IDEA Center at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus on May 5, 2025.
Courtesy of MDC/Giorgio Viera
On May 5, MDC launched an initiative led by The Idea Center at the college that will offer at least 200 students $20-an-hour internships at Miami tech startups and small businesses with growth potential. Interns will work 8 to 12 weeks at one of at least 50 participating employers.
Miami Dade College said the small to midsize companies focus on tech, hospitality, healthcare and manufacturing.
The Miami Startup Ecosystem Internship Program has $1 million in funding, largely from financial firms Blackstone and JPMorganChase. The initiative will be evaluated after two years.
Miami Dade College and the participating employer will each cover 50% of a student's salary.
'Students with paid internships are twice as likely to land a job after graduation compared to non-interns,' Maura Pally, executive director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, said in a statement. 'We're doubling down on our commitment to their success and to Miami's future.'
Pally sees Miami as a 'hub for innovation and growth for years to come.'
Application information
Launch of Miami Startup ecosystem Internship Program at IDEA Center at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus on May 5, 2025.
Courtesy of MDC/Giorgio Viera
Every student at MDC, which serves over 125,000, is eligible for an internship. To apply, call 305-237-3141. Internship information also will be added to MDC's website.
Students who are selected can also participate in the Blackstone LaunchPad summer professional development series, with workshops, lectures and networking events. That's a way for the typical low-income and middle-income students enrolled at MDC to gain 'social capital,' the program said.
School and county officials attended an event on May 5 at MDC's Wolfson campus to introduce the initiative.
'At Miami Dade College, we are committed to providing students with hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for the jobs of the future,' said MDC President Madeline Pumariega. 'By leveraging public-private partnerships and a collective impact approach, we are helping students secure meaningful career opportunities that benefit both them and the businesses that drive Miami's economy.'
VS Vinod Sreeharsha
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Vinod Sreeharsha covers tourism trends in South Florida for the Miami Herald.