Usher’s New Look (UNL) is partnering with IBM to provide thousands of young people with the technical skills needed for careers in artificial intelligence (AI). The IBM SkillsBuild program, expected to benefit 200,000 students from historically underrepresented communities, will make digital learning available to students.
Announced at the SXSW EDU conference in Austin, Texas, the partnership signals that tens of thousands of young people across the country—including those who have historically been underrepresented in the tech industry in the US—will benefit from coursework and online content offering a mix of AI and professional workplace skills. Students at UNL will receive personalized learning plans that match them with IBM’s online learning opportunities.
As noted by Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Vice President & Chief Impact Officer: ”It’s a privilege for IBM to join forces with Usher’s New Look in making a real difference for promising young learners from communities that have been historically underrepresented in technology, As AI continues to be a driving force in the workplace, we believe that IBM SkillsBuild is well-positioned to help students develop the technology skills they’ll need to succeed.”
The collaboration kicks off a process to move towards inclusive education and the education-to-employment pipeline by providing accessible coursework and personalized learning plans for students who want to write a resume with generative AI, build an AI-powered chatbot, or master state-of-the-art AI prompting.
Additionally, resources for IBM SkillsBuild’s more than 1,000 free facilitated and social learning courses covering essential technical and workplace skills will be available to students free of charge into perpetuity. UNL’s current programs and initiatives will also be available to students.
This collaboration is about more than individual students: schools and communities throughout the US will gain as UNL itself adopts and integrates IBM SkillsBuild into its Disruptivator Clubs, Leadership Academy Initiatives, and more, empowering students to see what’s possible in their communities and effect positive change.
By taking the burden of preparing students to enter the 21st century off school Faculty and staff, UNL and IBM are ensuring the tech world remains open and, hopefully, accessible to all.
Source: IBM Newsroom March 7, 2024
