In her third year studying user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design at Miami-Dade College, Sinai Colina knew an internship was essential. Although she had experience as a teacher, she had never worked in a technology setting—and the prospect made her nervous. Still, she recognized the value of hands-on experience. “Companies want that experience when you apply for a job,” she says.
Experience Beyond Expectations
When Juliet Bedard, Miami-Dade’s workforce manager of technology and innovation, approached Colina about the Miami Tech Works EPIC Challenge—a five-week program where student teams collaborate with real companies to solve business challenges—she agreed to participate. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Employer Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC) program is a scalable workforce development initiative that connects students with employers to solve real-world problems while building skills and credentials through work-based learning.
The EPIC model operates through an accredited “clearinghouse”—a business or organization hub that connects schools and student teams with employers offering valuable workforce experience. In Miami, that clearinghouse role is coordinated by Miami Tech Works, an initiative that builds a skilled technology talent pipeline in South Florida through partnerships with local government, employers, and educational institutions. In this cohort, four businesses and 20 students participated.
Colina joined a team working with AllPeeP, a community-building platform that allows users to create their own social networks online. Her task: to improve the company’s UX and UI, while developing the practical skills she’ll need in a future career in technology. “It helped me improve my communication skills through daily team meetings, try new tools and technologies, and connect what I’ve learned in school to real software being used by thousands of customers,” she says. Beyond the resume-ready skills, Colina gained something just as important: confidence in her abilities and her potential for success in the workplace.
For many Miami-Dade College students, that confidence can make all the difference in pursuing their dreams, Bedard says. The school’s student population is 96% Black and Hispanic, with many coming from low-income homes. Bedard, who researches how to support female students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, notes that these groups remain underrepresented in the workforce compared to the overall population, according to the National Science Foundation.
Colina wasn’t the only student who had a transformative experience. For Miami-Dade College second-year student Santiago Munoz, the EPIC Challenge ended with an unexpected outcome—him becoming part owner in a startup. Munoz and his team partnered with AI startup Hakim the AI, an AI growth resource for entrepreneurs and teams, to rebrand and redesign its website. The fast-paced, five-week project gave Munoz hands-on experience rarely available to students. “Projects I’ve done before have been small websites or ideas,” Munoz says. “This time, I was collaborating with a real company to refine ideas, solve problems, and meet deadlines.” Impressed by his dedication, company CEO Heradio Luces offered him an equity stake in the company. “You may find employees with similar skills, but not that kind of passion,” Luces says. “We wanted him to be part of our founding team.” Munoz now works as a front-end engineer with Hakim the AI while finishing his degree.
EPIC Opportunities in Tech
Alongside AllPeeP and Hakim the AI, two additional tech startups participated in the Summer 2025 EPIC Challenge: Spark Founders, which uses AI to connect entrepreneurs with co-founders, investors, experts, and partners; and Syneurgy, a platform that applies neuroscience principles to improve team collaboration. These companies joined the program through existing relationships with Miami Tech Works’ network, says grant program manager Jonathan Adell.
Each five-student team tackled key business challenges—from rebranding and UX design to data-driven decision making. Team members pursuing degrees in AI, machine learning, data science, software engineering, marketing, and business, worked across front-end, back-end, and full-stack development, quality assurance, UX/UI design, web development, analytics, applied and generative AI, and project management. They also strengthened critical durable skills such as problem-solving, adaptability, communication, and teamwork.
Creating More Experiential Learning Opportunities
Adell plans to scale the program further, exactly as EPIC was designed to do. “I am all about scaling,” he says. Miami Tech Works did another successful Student Challenge this fall with seven companies and 28 students, and has another planned for the spring. From there, Adell hopes to involve students from other Florida universities and attract more participating employers.
EPIC program alumni like Colina and Munoz encourage others to join. “When I first heard about it, I thought it was just what developing a website with some students,” Munoz says. “But seeing the impact it’s had on Hakeem, I would have never imagined how extremely valuable this opportunity would be to students. It’s not about having talent or not having talent—it’s about having an opportunity to show what you can do.”
To learn more about EPIC—or to get involved as a clearinghouse, education, or employer partner—contact U.S. Chamber Foundation Executive Director Sarah Castro.
