Published May 23, 2024 at 12:00 a.m. CT by the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) announced in May 2024 that its employees would be invited into a Train-the-Trainer program for three Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network courses, preparing campus personnel to support wider AI learning.
Original source: This MAIN source brief summarizes and adds network context to MGCCC’s May 23, 2024 announcement, “MGCCC Employees Invited to Participate in New AI Courses through MAIN Initiative.”
Key details
- Participants: MGCCC administrators, faculty and staff.
- Courses announced: Intro to AI, AI for Manufacturing and Intro to Generative AI.
- Delivery: Online through Canvas using curriculum based on Intel’s Digital Readiness AI for Workforce program.
- Entry requirements: No programming background, computer science degree or prerequisite course was required for the introductory training.
- Timing reported in 2024: Broader access was scheduled to begin July 1, 2024.
Why MGCCC trained employees first
The announcement was not simply an invitation to take a class. The Train-the-Trainer format positioned employees to become informed facilitators who could help colleagues and learners use AI tools with context. That matters because effective adoption requires more than access to software. Institutions also need people who can explain concepts, guide discussion and recognize ethical or operational concerns.
MGCCC reported that the courses covered AI fundamentals, historical development, current trends, practical applications, hands-on activities, ethics and societal impact. The use of no-code tools made the material accessible to employees in academic, administrative and workforce roles.
“Empowering our employees with AI skills enhances their professional growth, fuels innovation, and propels Mississippi’s economic development.”
Dr. Kollin Napier, as quoted by MGCCC
How the training supported MAIN’s statewide model
MAIN was built around shared capacity. A partner institution could host its own course instance while participating in a broader network of colleges, universities and workforce organizations. Training employees at MGCCC, which hosts MAIN, helped establish a local base of facilitators before access expanded more widely.
The original announcement also connected the courses to a larger workforce objective: helping Mississippians understand where AI can improve work, where it can introduce risk and why human judgment remains essential. That combination of practical exposure and responsible-use discussion is more durable than training tied to one tool or product.
Current information: This article documents a May 2024 announcement. For present-day availability, review MAIN’s current AI courses, learn about MAIN or explore network partners.
Image disclosure: The featured image is original conceptual editorial artwork created for MAIN. It represents facilitator materials prepared for employee training and does not depict a specific classroom, event or person.