We got some exciting news last week when it was announced that FAU, Broward College and Palm Beach State College have been jointly awarded a $3.5 million grant by the Florida Board of Governors to create a program that will fast-track students into the high-tech workplace. The three-way partnership was developed in response to the Board’s effort to align university and college degrees with our state’s rapidly developing workforce needs. 

The FAU/BC/PBSC program, called the Computer Acceleration Pipeline to Unlock Regional Excellence (CAPTURE), creates an accelerated pipeline to a bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering. Students can enter the pipeline from any of the three partner institutions, from the ranks of employees in local corporations or from graduating high school classes in Broward and Palm Beach counties. An innovative curriculum is being designed by faculty members who are leaders in the field of computer technology. Seamless admission to FAU will be provided to students graduating from the state colleges. To give students exposure to “real world” settings, internships will be offered in addition to classroom and laboratory instruction.

This is one of only four confirmed major grants awarded by the Board of Governors’ Commission on Florida Higher Education Access and Attainment, a coalition of education, business and legislative leaders that worked for more than 18 months to identify gaps between bachelor’s degree production in Florida and the state’s job needs. FAU’s proposal was the only one submitted that created a partnership linking a university with state colleges. Congratulations to the team that worked long hours to put our successful proposal together. We intend it to be the first of many initiatives addressing South Florida’s critical workforce needs.