On Aug. 3, 2021, Intel announced a broad expansion of its AI for Workforce Program at 18 community colleges across 11 U.S. states. Among the students enrolled in an early pilot program at Maricopa Community College in Arizona are Penny (right) and Stacy Good, a mother and daughter who live in a suburb of Phoenix. The Intel program, in partnership with Dell Technologies, aims to fill a gap in students entering the U.S. workforce with skills in artificial intelligence -- for which there is a huge demand. Says Stacy Good about her AI coursework: "I think that it opens up a lot of doors, especially for young people who are getting into the field at a young age. The jobs are pretty much uncountable.” (Credit: Evan Sprague/Intel Corporation)
On Aug. 3, 2021, Intel announced a broad expansion of its AI for Workforce Program at 18 community colleges across 11 U.S. states. Among the students enrolled in an early pilot program at Maricopa Community College in Arizona are Penny (right) and Stacy Good, a mother and daughter who live in a suburb of Phoenix. The Intel program, in partnership with Dell Technologies, aims to fill a gap in students entering the U.S. workforce with skills in artificial intelligence -- for which there is a huge demand. Says Stacy Good about her AI coursework: "I think that it opens up a lot of doors, especially for young people who are getting into the field at a young age. The jobs are pretty much uncountable.” (Credit: Evan Sprague/Intel Corporation)
What’s New: Intel is announcing a major expansion of its Intel® AI for Workforce Program to help educate the next generation of U.S. technologists, engineers and inventors — and to help them land careers in their chosen fields, ranging from healthcare to nursing to business. To support the expansion of the program across the U.S., Intel is collaborating with Dell Technologies to provide technical and infrastructure expertise. Students who complete the program, which is being added at 18 schools across 11 U.S. states, will receive a certificate or an associate degree in artificial intelligence (AI).
“AI is one of the superpowers fueling innovation, economic growth, job creation and advancements across every aspect of society. The next-generation workforce will need skills and training in AI to develop solutions to the world’s greatest challenges, and community colleges play a huge role in unleashing innovative thinking. Community college is where I developed my passion for technology and kicked off the career journey that eventually led to my dream job as the CEO of Intel.”
What It Is: The Intel AI for Workforce Program, with technology support from Dell Technologies, helps students gain critically-needed job skills in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence — with courses on data collection, computer vision, AI model training, coding, the societal impacts and ethics of AI technology, and more.
Started in 2020 as a collaboration between Intel and a community college in Maricopa County, Arizona, the program is adding 18 institutions that serve a total of 800,000 students. Plans to expand to 50 more community and vocational colleges in 2022 are underway.
Intel’s leaders believe AI technology should be shaped by people offering diverse voices and experiences. Community colleges offer the chance to democratize AI technology. In the U.S. higher education system, these schools attract students with the richest variety of backgrounds and expertise.
Dell Technologies is providing technical expertise to the schools on how best to configure AI labs for teaching in-person, hybrid and online students.
“Higher education institutions are a catalyst for change by providing expertise and training in emerging fields,” said Jillian Mansolf, senior vice president and general manager, U.S. Corporate and Public Sector, Dell Technologies. “By collaborating with Intel, Dell is able to deliver AI learning experiences to these students, helping to prepare the future workforce for impact and success.”
Gelsinger said: “I can’t wait to see the amazing things these students will do with AI technology to improve the life of every person on the planet. We hope other companies will join us in this important mission.”
Who Is Involved: The 18 participating schools are:
- Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California
- Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque
- College of Southern Nevada in North Las Vegas
- County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey
- Maricopa Community College in Maricopa County, Arizona
- Folsom Lake College in Folsom, California
- Foothills-DeAnza in Los Altos, California
- Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Houston Community College
- Ivy Tech Community College in Lake County, Indiana
- Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan
- Lonestar Community College in The Woodlands, Texas
- Middlesex College in Edison, New Jersey
- Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
- Morris County Vocational School in Denville, New Jersey
- Ocean County College in Toms River, New Jersey
- Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, California
- Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon
Eight of the schools are classified by the U.S. Department of Education as Minority Serving Institutions. Supporting underserved communities is key to Intel’s commitment to expand digital readiness worldwide.
More than 80 community college professors have received professional development from Intel and have been certified as Intel AI trainers.
About the Need: The artificial intelligence field is booming. Recent studies show the demand for AI skills among employers is likely to grow significantly. Technology that supports AI is growing similarly fast, with rapidly emerging new tools and applications that require workers to learn new technical skills. The impact of AI – and its future applications – spans high tech, healthcare, automotive, industrial, manufacturing, aerospace and other fields.
“The need for AI technology in the workforce, across several industries, is critical for U.S. economic growth,” Gelsinger said.
On a national basis, data from the American Association of Community Colleges shows that 57% of community college students are women, 27% identify as Hispanic, 13% as Black and 6% as Asian/Pacific Islander. Fully 29% of these students report that they’re the first in their families to attend college.
“It’s clear there is tremendous need for more AI skills in the future workforce, and community colleges attract students with a variety of backgrounds — making them perfect for helping to better diversify AI,” said Gregory Bryant, executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group at Intel. “We are partnering with community colleges to expand access to technology skills that, in turn, will lead to top jobs. This includes everything from AI curriculum and teacher training to seeding internships and more. We’re committed as a company to accelerating this important effort to help drive a thriving economy and tech-savvy workforce.”
About the Data: Data show a broad need in the U.S. higher education system for more academic AI training and coursework. A recent EdScoop survey of 246 educators, administrators and IT decision-makers in higher education shows that:
- 73% of educators report an increasing demand by employers for graduates with AI-related skills.
- 42% of community colleges do not currently offer specific courses or programs in AI.
- 52% of community college educators say the biggest obstacle to providing AI instruction is a lack of faculty with the right expertise.
About Dell’s Role: Dell’s engagement with Intel’s AI for Workforce aligns with its commitment to its Progress Made Real 2030 goals, transforming lives by providing access to education and technology that supports the U.S. workforce in reaching its full potential.
About Intel’s Role: Intel has committed to expand digital readiness to reach 30 million people in 30,000 institutions in 30 countries. This commitment is part of the company’s recently announced 2030 Goals and Global Impact Challenges that underscore Intel’s aim to make technology fully inclusive and to expand digital readiness to people worldwide. Intel’s corporate responsibility commitment to positive global impact is embedded in its purpose to create world-changing technology that enriches the lives of every person on Earth.
More Context: Intel’s AI for Workforce Program Brings AI Education to Community Colleges Across the U.S.