Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) are partnering to meet the growing demand for AI skills.
GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) are partnering to meet the growing demand for AI skills in Mississippi’s workforce.
“We know there’s a need in wanting to upscale for our next generation of students — whether they’re in high school, middle school, elementary — expose them to artificial intelligence. Because it will be part of their lives now and into the future,” said Dr. Kollin Napier, an MGCCC employee and Director of MAIN.
Dr. Napier says the courses have been developed through Intel’s Digital Readiness AI for Workforce program, are completely online, and adapted for the Canvas platform.
“Teachers will enroll as students with Gulf Coast. It is free, it does not cost them anything, and they’re covering 64 hours of content and it’s open-ended. There are no deadlines. They do it at their leisure, and there are discussions, assignments, quizzes, things to get them engaged and involved with others in the courses well.” explained Dr. Napier.
Courses include several different modules such as historical and future implications, current trends, ethical and societal impacts, and more.
Dr. Napier also says that while many people may worry about the use of AI, it has actually been around since the 1950s and only popularized in the last decade or so.
“But if you use Amazon if you use any sort of application on your phone AI has been in the background now we’re just taking it out of the background and bringing it into the hands of the end user the individuals day-to-day. So this program will provide a broad overview but comprehensive in nature showing them this is what it is. Here’s how you can use it. Here’s the ethical side of it. You know, the bias and everything that’s involved in how we can use it to enhance our skills, but not replace our judgment or our creativity.”
The courses also require no prerequisites, making them accessible to people without prior programming skills or a background in computer science.
MAIN has partnered with all 15 community colleges and several major universities in Mississippi.
Beginning July 1st, this course will be available to all MGCCC employees and the overall workforce.
Additional courses will be gradually introduced to Canvas throughout the year.
Source: https://www.wlox.com/2024/06/24/mgccc-partners-with-main-workforce-ai-courses/