United Way Miami Expands Transformative Workforce Fund into Education
UpSkill Miami Partners with Achieve Miami’s Teacher Accelerator Program (TAP) to Train and Employ Participants in Education Amid Severe Teacher Shortage
MIAMI (Oct. 30, 2024)—United Way Miami, one of the leading and longest-standing non-profits in South Florida, proudly announces the expansion of its workforce fund, UpSkill Miami, into the education sector. In partnership with Achieve Miami’s Teacher Accelerator Program (TAP), this partnership aims to support TAP’s efforts in addressing the local teacher shortage by training and placing qualified individuals in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
“Partnership and collaboration are the cornerstone of United Way Miami’s work, which is focused on solving the pressing needs of our community,” said Symeria Hudson, president and CEO of United Way Miami. “Achieve Miami’s TAP program, founded and led by Leslie Miller Saiontz, is focused on addressing teacher shortages. With nearly 5,000 vacancies across Florida, including hundreds in Miami-Dade County alone, together we are driving economic mobility and empowering the next generation through education.”
Achieve Miami’s TAP is dedicated to building a sustainable pipeline of qualified teachers by recruiting college graduates and career changers to serve in Miami-Dade classrooms. TAP collaborates with Teach for America-Miami-Dade, the University of Miami, Miami Dade College and Florida International University to provide high-quality teacher training and certification. This community-focused approach creates a new pathway for individuals to transition into the education field and address the urgent need for qualified teachers in the region.
Now in its second year, TAP has more than tripled its impact: 151 participants have successfully graduated from this year’s program – up from 43 graduates during its inaugural year – and are teaching in classrooms across Miami-Dade County as full-time teachers.
UpSkill Miami’s partnership with TAP highlights United Way Miami’s commitment to offering accessible, high-quality job training in education. With a $500,000 investment, the program will provide 150 participants—college seniors and career changers—with a one-semester education and certification support course, followed by a paid summer internship at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The program ensures participants receive comprehensive support, hands-on experience and mentorship to succeed, particularly in underserved areas.
“As we face an unprecedented shortage of teachers, partnerships like UpSkill Miami are critical to making a difference in our schools,” said Leslie Miller Saiontz, president of Achieve Miami. “By expanding our network, we’re taking a crucial step in helping solve this crisis while ensuring every child in Miami has access to a quality education and individuals have fulfilling career opportunities to help them make ends meet.”
This initiative expands United Way Miami’s impact on education and economic mobility—two of the organization’s core four pillars. Last year alone, the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education trained nearly 900 educators and served 5,900 children through 120 early education programs.
Launched in July 2023, UpSkill Miami aims to empower Miami-Dade County residents by offering skills training in high-demand industries, bridging the gap between a lack of skilled workers and hundreds of unfilled jobs. According to the 2023 ALICE Report, nearly half of a million Miami-Dade households are either in or one paycheck away from falling into poverty. The partnership with TAP marks the fourth phase of UpSkill Miami, building on successful training programs in healthcare, transportation, construction trades, energy and aviation, benefiting more than 800 Miami-Dade County residents.
United Way Miami is committed to conducting thorough research and devising strategic plans to meet the evolving needs of the Miami-Dade community and shaping the future of this innovative workforce fund. To learn more about UpSkill Miami, visit unitedwaymiami.org/UpSkillMiami.
View the local media coverage from WSVN 7 News and HITS 97.3.
