The Opa-locka Community Development Corporation (OLCDC), in partnership with CareerSource of South Florida (CSSF), are bringing the very first TechHire center concept to Opa-locka. The TechHire Center will make accelerated IT training accessible to Opa-locka residents for the first time, as well as empower area youth to use technology for education and training purposes. This initiative is a part of Former President Barack Obama’s White House “TechHire” initiative, in which two communities in Florida were designated as TechHire communities to empower Americans with the skills they need to rapidly train workers for well-paying jobs.
The Center is approximately 4,000 square feet and located in the City of Opa-locka’s Town Center building. The Center is equipped to serve the community with internet-accessible desktop and laptop computers, equipped with Microsoft Office suite, Adobe Creative Cloud software and printers. It also houses classroom style computer tables for meetings, large format printers for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
“Empowering the residents of Opa-locka with essential information technology skills not only makes the residents competitive for the global market workplace but improves the economic vitality of the community,” said CareerSource South Florida Executive Director Rick Beasley. “We are thrilled to partner with the Opa-locka Community Development Cooperation to tackle the community’s digital literacy gap.”
While the TechHire Center will have “open office hours” for community residents to access the computers and printers, the OLCDC will also host free workshops where residents can learn resume building, interviewing, web design, mobile app development, cybersecurity and ethical hacking skills.
“With 36 percent of residents living below the poverty line and an average household income of $17,933, the Opa-locka TechHire Center is working to bridge the digital divide through accessibility and training,” said Willie Logan, CEO/President, Opa-locka Community Development Corporation.
The Opa-locka TechHire Center has been made possible with the support of CareerSource South Florida, The Children’s Trust, Wells Fargo and Mercantile Bank. The Opa-locka TechHire Center is located at 780 Fisherman Street, 2nd Floor, Opa-locka, and open seven days a week from 3:00pm-9:00pm, Monday through Friday, and 12:00pm – 5:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information or to register for workshops, please visit www.olcdc.org.
