Meet Our Founder

Carlos Vazquez, M.S.Ed; M.I.T

Carlos Vazquez is the Founder and Executive Director of Miami EdTech, a non-profit with a mission to address the biggest inequities in education by significantly improving economic and workforce opportunities for underrepresented and unserved communities. Carlos has been in Miami for 10+ years and was born and raised in the Bronx, NY where he graduated with a degree in Computer Science from Fordham University. Carlos holds an M.S. in Web Strategy & Design and an M.S. in Education and has taught from the elementary to the college level for close to 20 years in New York City, San Francisco, and Miami.

Passionate about Workforce Education, Carlos is also the founder of GoSprout (www.gosprout.app), a platform that helps companies launch and manage apprenticeship programs and streamline access to employer federal funding for workforce initiatives.

Committed to leveling the playing field in STEAM, Carlos has made it his mission to combine elements of positive psychology and social justice to address the striking inequities in access and training in education especially for people of color.

Carlos is also the Chair of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools STEM Advisory Board and Founding Chapter President of the Computer Science Teacher Association’s Miami Chapter. More recently, his greatest leadership accomplishment has been serving as an Assistant Coach for his oldest son’s 8U baseball team.

Involvement

Carlos In the News

From the Bronx to Miami: Carlos Vazquez's Mission to Empower Underrepresented Communities

Carlos Vazquez, raised in The Bronx, witnessed the lack of opportunities in underrepresented communities. As a first-generation college student, he valued education and became an educator to make a difference. Inspired by his experiences and driven by his passion, he founded Miami EdTech and GoSprout, focusing on providing educational and workforce opportunities in South Florida. Through these initiatives, Vazquez aims to empower students, teachers, and job seekers by offering STEM professional development, apprenticeships, and career growth, fostering innovation and economic mobility in the community.

Carlos Takes the Stage at the eMerge Americas Launchpad Stage

Carlos hosted insightful conversations on the eMerge Americas Launchpad stage highlighting emerging tech tools in today’s workforce, emphasizing the transformative power of apprenticeships and digital equity. He discusses his work in scaling apprenticeship programs to connect employers with skilled, diverse talent. His insights underscored the importance of creating opportunities for underrepresented communities in the evolving tech landscape

He passionately discussed how bridging the gap in workforce development can help create a more inclusive future, inspiring others to take action and invest in the next generation of tech talent.

New Tech, New Pathways: Carlos on #LTXQuest

Carlos, speaking at #LTXQuest, highlighted the transformative power of new technologies and innovative pathways to career success, particularly through the lens of his journey from the South Bronx to the tech industry. He underscored the importance of education, mentorship, and creating equitable opportunities that empower underrepresented communities.

He passionately discussed how bridging the gap in workforce development can help create a more inclusive future, inspiring others to take action and invest in the next generation of tech talent.

Carlos Takes the Stage at the 2023 eMerge Americas Conference highlighting the Window into the Workforce.

Carlos takes the stage at the eMerge Americas conference hosting a myriad of incredible thought leaders, decision makers, students and educators.

He emphasized the importance of closing the workforce development gap to foster a more inclusive future, motivating others to support and invest in upcoming tech talent.

Cultivating a Talent Pipeline with Dr. Amy Firestone

Carlos speaks to Dr. Firestone who is a national workforce and apprenticeship leader. Apprenticeship Carolina obtained over $19 million in federal apprenticeship grants from the United States Department of Labor.

Dr. Firestone also was chosen for a Fullbright grant to advice the Columbian Chamber of Commerce on developing apprenticeships.

Carlos speaks on bringing Computer Science to the classroom

Carlos shares the necessity of modernizing educational technology to prepare students for future jobs, drawing from personal experiences of limited access to career advice and technology in the South Bronx, and the transformative power of the internet.

His Personal and Company Journey

Carlos shares about the foundation of Miami EdTech was based on two key experiences: Carlos’ time as a student in the NYC Public School system and the inspirational role of a third-grade teacher who ignited their interest in STEM, especially for students from low-income backgrounds. This led to the birth of Miami EdTech, a community aimed at empowering teachers through programming and professional development in computer science and entrepreneurship, mirroring the support and inspiration the founder received in their own educational journey.

During COVID-19, Carlos launched the ReThinkEd Innovation Hub in partnership with WeWork Labs

ReThinkEd, a collaborative program by WeWork Labs and Miami EdTech, offers edtech entrepreneurs a workspace, custom curriculum, and networking opportunities to develop and scale their businesses. This program includes hands-on guidance to refine business models and culminates in a Demo Day in June.

Carlos Leads Miami EdTech in Securing Grant from Hispanic Federation

Miami Ed Tech today announced that it has been selected as one of 20 Latino-led and serving nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive a $25,000 grant from the Hispanic Federation (HF) in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal to enhance and expand its digital workforce training activities.

Carlos shares about bringing Computer Science to the classroom

Carlos shares about the 400 Miami-Dade CTE teachers completed Miami EdTech’s course, preparing them for the state certification exam to teach advanced computer science, bolstered by a partnership with Florida International University’s Academy for Computer Science Education.