Generating Artificial Intelligence Talent

The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is projected to change the foundational knowledge students need to excel as they embark on technician career paths. Current workforce research reveals that demand outpaces supply as U.S. businesses attempt to hire technicians with the necessary digital skills. In response to this demand, Central Piedmont Community College has established an associate in applied science (AAS) degree in AI. To enhance the AI degree, this project will create strategies for strengthening career pathways for skilled workers with industry-aligned curriculum and stackable certificates. Courses will be evaluated with input from an AI-focused advisory council and adapted to meet the rapidly changing needs and industry’s projected demand for more than 1,000 new roles locally that will require AI digital skills. Given AI's predicted impact on current technician roles, the project will develop stackable certificates to retrain workers to leverage expertise and harness new digital artificial intelligence. The project will invest in “human capital” by supporting faculty professional development, empowering and preparing students, and up-skilling and re-skilling current workers to meet the challenges and opportunities for future technician roles that incorporate sought after skills such as problem-solving using programming logic, design, and storytelling using data analytics. The goals of the project are to: (1) strengthen engagement of local industry representatives who are pioneering the use of AI, (2) adapt curriculum to reflect industry-informed knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and develop certificates for emerging and incumbent technicians, (3) support necessary faculty professional development required to teach a new program; and (4) implement targeted supports for course requirements in order to foster and expand student success. Various activities will support these goals such as establishing an AI-focused industry and employer leadership group using the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model. BILT member relationships will be used to secure work-based learning opportunities for AI program students and launch a speaker series to inspire students and introduce them to a broader understanding of practical applications and career pathway considerations. The AI degree curriculum will respond to industry-informed KSAs by updating courses and developing stackable certificates for specific industry sectors and roles in the local community that are expected to be transformed by AI. The project will support professional development to ensure faculty have awareness of trends and access to the latest advancements, and support students by providing contextualized math support courses as well as dedicated tutoring. The project will broaden partnerships among postsecondary institutions, community non-profits, and industry and workforce development groups to develop and share insights into how job training and curriculum can take proactive steps as industries plan for implementation of technological advances. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.