WEBVTT - Closing The AI Workforce Gap Through Education 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:08.120 Every single one of us is familiar with the classroom. 0:00:08.480 --> 0:00:10.920 This is where so many of us learn the basics 0:00:10.920 --> 0:00:15.000 of reading, writing, and arithmetic, And no matter where you live, 0:00:15.280 --> 0:00:18.000 the classroom is where so many of us first learn 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:21.239 the skills that we need to eventually join the workforce 0:00:21.600 --> 0:00:26.600 and begin our careers. But this isn't just any classroom. 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:29.840 This is a classroom focused on the future and the 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:33.520 AI revolution that will create ninety seven million new jobs 0:00:33.720 --> 0:00:37.879 by twenty twenty five and potentially deliver additional global economic 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:42.239 activity of around thirteen trillion by twenty thirty. This is 0:00:42.240 --> 0:00:45.600 the classroom where teachers are equipping the future workforce with 0:00:45.720 --> 0:00:49.800 a technical confidence to learn and apply AI skills and 0:00:49.920 --> 0:00:53.680 shape the future. But who will fill these ninety seven 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:57.120 million jobs. According to the twenty twenty three Tech Report, 0:00:57.480 --> 0:01:00.360 approximately sixty three percent of employees in the the US 0:01:00.440 --> 0:01:04.040 tech sector are white. Estimates suggests that only twenty five 0:01:04.080 --> 0:01:06.399 percent of tech jobs are held by women, with even 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:10.200 lower numbers for Black, Latina and Native American women at 0:01:10.240 --> 0:01:13.759 around five percent. With these stats in mind, how can 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:18.399 we create new opportunities in tech for underrepresented populations, ultimately 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:21.680 creating a more diverse pool of talent in the industry, 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:23.800 how much work has to be done to close the 0:01:23.840 --> 0:01:27.600 AI skills gap for our future workers, and which teachers 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:34.440 have been entrusted with this critical mission. Welcome to Technically Speaking, 0:01:34.680 --> 0:01:39.480 an Intel podcast produced by iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio in partnership 0:01:39.480 --> 0:01:43.520 with Intel. In every episode, we explore how AI innovations 0:01:43.520 --> 0:01:47.880 are changing the world and revolutionizing the way we live. Hey, 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:51.640 then I'm your host Graham. Class for the seventh episode 0:01:51.640 --> 0:01:54.840 of this season on Technically Speaking, We're headed back to school, 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:59.320 but it very likely doesn't resemble your typical university lecture hall. 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:02.840 This classroom is focused on teaching students some of the 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:07.680 most sought after skills in the emerging job landscape, artificial intelligence. 0:02:08.520 --> 0:02:11.640 In this episode, we will focus on their current AI 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:15.320 skill crisis, and while Intel is partnering with Dell for 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:19.200 the AI for the Future Workforce program, will also examine 0:02:19.200 --> 0:02:22.239 how students enrolled in this program at a Texas community 0:02:22.280 --> 0:02:26.440 college are grasping onto this opportunity with both hands and 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:30.880 embracing AI technology in the workplace. Before we go any further, 0:02:31.080 --> 0:02:36.480 let's welcome our guest who's leading this charge. Joining us 0:02:36.520 --> 0:02:40.080 today is doctor Madeline Burilla. Hopkins the Vice Chancellor of 0:02:40.160 --> 0:02:44.520 Workforce Instruction and the President of Southwest College at Houston 0:02:44.560 --> 0:02:49.040 Community College in Texas. Doctor Buruillo Hopkins is responsible for 0:02:49.080 --> 0:02:53.600 the strategic vision and administrative leadership of workforce instruction for 0:02:53.680 --> 0:02:58.120 the district, and as president at Houston Community Southwest College, 0:02:58.200 --> 0:03:04.040 she oversees all operations at HDC's Southwest campuses, including the 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:11.360 Center of Excellence in Digital and Information Technology. Welcome to 0:03:11.400 --> 0:03:12.120 the show, Madeline. 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:15.799 Thank you Graham. What a pleasure to be here this morning, 0:03:15.880 --> 0:03:19.720 and I'm very appreciative of the opportunity to share with 0:03:19.800 --> 0:03:22.280 you and the listeners a little bit more about what 0:03:22.320 --> 0:03:24.239 we're doing at Houston Community College. 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:27.120 Yeah, it's interesting because in our first season we did 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:31.080 talk a little bit about how we can upskill students 0:03:31.200 --> 0:03:34.440 to be ready for the future trends in AI. But 0:03:34.480 --> 0:03:36.080 I'd like to get a little bit of a sense 0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:40.400 of your background. You've always been an advocate for workforce education, 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:44.200 but I'd like to get a definition of what workforce 0:03:44.240 --> 0:03:48.120 instruction is and what does the term mean to you 0:03:48.320 --> 0:03:50.640 and others who work in your field. 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:55.160 So workforce instruction for me, is really at the core 0:03:55.560 --> 0:03:58.280 of what we do at Community colleges and the sense 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:02.080 of we are at the inter section of people looking 0:04:02.240 --> 0:04:08.080 for educational opportunities that would allow them to have the 0:04:08.200 --> 0:04:11.680 highest return on the investment of their time as well 0:04:11.680 --> 0:04:16.280 as their economic resources to pay for that education. And 0:04:16.800 --> 0:04:21.200 the other intersection is especially right now employers seeking highly 0:04:21.279 --> 0:04:27.720 qualified people, especially for emerging jobs and careers. And we 0:04:27.760 --> 0:04:31.320 all know about the fact now it's been labeled as 0:04:31.320 --> 0:04:36.560 the AI era, these are actually exciting times to be living. 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:40.160 I used to say as an economics major, what would 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:44.640 have been like to live in the times of industrial 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:48.520 revolution and change? And I do feel like we're living 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:52.200 in that same time frame in terms of how people 0:04:52.279 --> 0:04:56.960 are experiencing AI and how it's impacting the world around us. 0:04:57.040 --> 0:05:00.960 So workforce education is anything that will allow people to 0:05:01.000 --> 0:05:03.800 be able to have a better life through the power 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:08.440 of education and have jobs and careers that will allow 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:13.000 them to sustain their families and have upper economic mobility. 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:16.840 Yeah, as you're talking about that, I was reminded back 0:05:16.880 --> 0:05:19.719 to my own experience where I just came into the 0:05:19.760 --> 0:05:22.520 workforce just as the Internet was taking off, and I 0:05:22.520 --> 0:05:25.680 had to reschool myself to be able to take advantage 0:05:25.720 --> 0:05:28.839 of that, and I'd like to get a better sense 0:05:29.040 --> 0:05:33.720 of the Houston Community College where you work, and I'd 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:36.159 like to get a sense of what the typical student 0:05:36.279 --> 0:05:40.800 is like and what their general career aspirations are and 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:43.360 the reasons why they're studying there. 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:48.000 Well, Houston is the fourth largest metropolitan city in the country, 0:05:48.640 --> 0:05:52.960 and it's been labeled the most diversified city in terms 0:05:52.960 --> 0:05:56.880 of the demographics, and our student population reflects that of 0:05:56.920 --> 0:05:59.640 the city that we operate in, and we're very proud 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:03.680 of that diversity. So about thirty five percent of our 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:07.279 students are Hispanic, another twenty nine percent are African American, 0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:12.680 about twenty percent our Ations, and about seventeen percent wide 0:06:13.320 --> 0:06:16.520 and so it's a very good place where you can 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:20.400 see what the world looks like today. In terms of diversity. 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:24.760 We do have, as an urban college, a large number 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:30.080 of students that are low social economic and who are 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:35.320 first generation college students, and we take that very very seriously, 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:39.080 and for me it's personal. I'm a first college generation 0:06:39.880 --> 0:06:44.480 graduate in my family, daughter of immigrant and an immigrant, 0:06:45.040 --> 0:06:49.520 and so I have lived and I'm an example of 0:06:49.560 --> 0:06:53.400 the power of education to transform lives, and so our 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:58.720 students come to us exactly with that need and aspiration 0:06:59.520 --> 0:07:03.599 to be a to obtain an education at HCC that 0:07:03.680 --> 0:07:07.520 would allow them to change their lives and the generations 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:10.720 after them. 0:07:10.880 --> 0:07:14.800 Houston Community College serves roughly eighty thousand students a year, 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:19.360 spread over six regional locations, all attending the school from 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:22.880 a variety of different backgrounds. The average age is roughly 0:07:22.920 --> 0:07:25.960 twenty five years old, and three quarters of the students 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:30.800 are also working while they attend classes. HCC has thirteen 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:36.239 educational centers focusing on various industries such as healthcare, energy, 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:41.160 advanced manufacturing, and digital information technology. But I wanted to 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:44.600 know about the school's outlook on AI, how the students 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:47.160 are feeling about the rise of this new technology and 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:49.239 how it will affect their future. 0:07:53.640 --> 0:07:56.200 So you ask how do they feel. They're not fearful. 0:07:56.720 --> 0:08:00.880 Usually the older individuals are more fearful, all about Oh, 0:08:00.880 --> 0:08:04.000 it's going to do away with my job or you know, 0:08:04.080 --> 0:08:07.520 how's my career is going to change. The students walk 0:08:07.560 --> 0:08:12.160 into that AI lab and they are curious, they're engaged, 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:15.160 they want to learn more. What you see in their 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:19.400 eyes is awakening of the things that they can do 0:08:19.480 --> 0:08:23.040 with these tools and that they can be what I 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:27.280 call them they're the next game changers. They're embracing AI 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:31.320 and they are excited about the fact that they're the 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:34.720 next creators, that their ideas can come to live with 0:08:34.840 --> 0:08:38.160 these tools, and that they at Houston Community College, that 0:08:38.240 --> 0:08:40.320 they have a place where they not only can do 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:43.480 that they can learn the skills, and that they can 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:46.440 get a credential, and that they can compete for these 0:08:46.480 --> 0:08:47.760 new emerging jobs. 0:08:48.880 --> 0:08:53.120 With this collaboration space and the students getting together, I 0:08:53.160 --> 0:08:55.520 think the examples in your mind that stick out that 0:08:55.920 --> 0:08:58.360 really go oh wow, like I can't believe they've come 0:08:58.440 --> 0:08:58.760 up with that. 0:08:59.559 --> 0:09:01.520 Yes, So you know, I have to say I'm so 0:09:01.640 --> 0:09:05.160 thankful to Intail and all because we would not be 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:08.520 able to have a faculty that's trained and prepared to 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:12.160 provide these tools to our students. Right. So, Intel's AI 0:09:12.280 --> 0:09:15.400 for Workforce program has been so critical for us as 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:18.000 well as some of our other tech partners. But an 0:09:18.040 --> 0:09:21.199 example one of our students right now that is entering 0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:26.400 the competition, it's using AI how to identify cancer cells 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:31.480 at different stages by looking at the cancer cells at 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:34.800 their stage one, two, three, or four, and how to 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:38.800 do that at a much earlier stage of diagnosis. So 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:42.880 when I think about students actually looking at healthcare, I 0:09:43.000 --> 0:09:45.600 just think of the possibilities and the things that we're 0:09:45.640 --> 0:09:50.120 equipping our students with a capacity to create solutions for 0:09:50.240 --> 0:09:53.120 the future that are going to benefit humanity. And I'm 0:09:53.160 --> 0:09:56.920 excited and humble by the fact that we're able to 0:09:56.920 --> 0:09:59.400 be in a place that we're allowing that to happen. 0:10:00.240 --> 0:10:03.480 Yeah, and also I was just wondering what your thoughts 0:10:03.520 --> 0:10:06.800 around what are those skills gaps that need to be 0:10:06.960 --> 0:10:11.959 filled so that students can confidently go into not necessarily 0:10:11.960 --> 0:10:15.199 an AI tech job, but an existing job, but you're 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:19.439 able to use those AI skills to enhance their productivity. 0:10:20.320 --> 0:10:24.719 Well, technology skills are always very useful, but at the 0:10:24.800 --> 0:10:27.720 end of the day, it comes about people working together 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:33.360 and working together. Well, So I do see AI allowing 0:10:33.440 --> 0:10:37.200 us to be able to bring people from different perspectives 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:42.960 into teams and learning how to work together towards a 0:10:43.120 --> 0:10:48.320 problem solution. And that is what employers are seeking today, 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:52.200 no matter in what sector you're in, the ability to 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:56.520 articulate also what the problem is and what are we 0:10:56.640 --> 0:10:59.880 trying to solve. And I think about like prompting engine 0:11:00.320 --> 0:11:02.880 and somebody said, oh, well, AI is going to do everything, 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:05.160 and it's going to replace people. At the end of 0:11:05.240 --> 0:11:10.120 the day. Starts with somebody's thoughts and ideas that have 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:14.080 to be articulated properly to the AI tool to be 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:17.240 able to give you the outcome that you're seeking. I 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:21.040 see AI also as a catalyst that will help our 0:11:21.080 --> 0:11:25.679 students learn how to communicate more effectively because they have 0:11:25.760 --> 0:11:29.320 to learn the skill of prompt engineering, which requires them 0:11:29.320 --> 0:11:34.120 to articulate thoughts in a concise and clear way. And 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:36.840 so to me, these are all what employers call soft 0:11:36.880 --> 0:11:39.840 skills that for years. I've been in workforce for a 0:11:39.840 --> 0:11:42.880 long time, workforce development, and those are things that always 0:11:42.960 --> 0:11:46.120 come up. And I see AI allowing us to do 0:11:46.200 --> 0:11:50.800 that becoming more efficient, but allowing the people to use 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:56.200 their thoughts and their human intelligence to be magnified and 0:11:56.240 --> 0:12:01.000 to be better used for more strategic thinks and problem 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:06.280 solving than the routine tasks or tasks that require high 0:12:06.320 --> 0:12:09.800 computing levels that we couldn't do before. But at the 0:12:09.880 --> 0:12:12.400 end of the day, you still need a creative thought 0:12:12.480 --> 0:12:16.000 from an individual, from a person to have that computer 0:12:16.080 --> 0:12:19.360 that robot be able to give you the outcome that 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:20.080 you're seeking. 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:23.960 Yeah, and I think it's really an exciting time because 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:27.680 you might have a creative thought and use your imagination, 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:30.400 but then you might get discouraged and say, oh, there's 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:32.240 so much work and I have to do this, this, 0:12:32.280 --> 0:12:36.640 and this. I've just been creating an app using AI copilots, 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:39.320 and I don't think I would have even embarked on 0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:42.760 it if I didn't have this assistant with me to 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:45.600 help me along the way. So I just think that 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:49.240 there'll be more of that human creativity being able to 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:51.240 get to the market or just get out into the 0:12:51.240 --> 0:12:52.680 world because of these. 0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:56.040 Tools, because AI will allow them to do that. But 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:59.960 these are all things that we're facing in a few 0:13:00.320 --> 0:13:03.319 and I am so glad that we get to Our 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:06.319 students at Houston Community Colleges are going to be part 0:13:06.400 --> 0:13:09.240 of that economy. They're very part of the economy because 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:13.560 they're being hired before they leave. People want them. All 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:17.520 of the tech companies are realizing that in order to 0:13:17.559 --> 0:13:21.840 maximize the power of AI, particularly for the US, that 0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:25.360 they all need to come together and help build that 0:13:25.480 --> 0:13:28.839 next workforce. Everybody is going to need to be upskilled 0:13:28.880 --> 0:13:34.280 and reskill and learn to use AI in their daily work. 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:37.600 In this twenty first century. If we don't do this, 0:13:37.960 --> 0:13:40.680 we're going to have a huge digital divide. And for 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.800 small businesses and medium sized businesses, this can be a 0:13:43.840 --> 0:13:48.480 game changer for them. 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:52.080 Coming up next on Technically Speaking and Intel podcast. 0:13:52.679 --> 0:13:55.960 We've had students that walk down the hallway and see 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:58.360 the AI lab and they get curious as they can. 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:00.839 I come in there and we tell them and they 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:02.120 changed their majors. 0:14:02.559 --> 0:14:04.640 We'll be right back after a brief message from our 0:14:04.640 --> 0:14:16.560 partners at Intel. Welcome back to Technically Speaking, an Intel podcast. 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:23.280 I'm here now with doctor Madeline Burillo Hopkins. I just 0:14:23.320 --> 0:14:25.520 wanted to go to the start and the genesis of 0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:28.200 the AAR for the Future Workforce program. I read that 0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:31.560 Dell and Intel collaborated with the American Association of Community 0:14:31.600 --> 0:14:35.280 Colleges back in twenty twenty. How did that program actually 0:14:35.360 --> 0:14:37.640 come on to your radar and how did that actually start? 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:43.360 Well in twenty seventeen at HCC our faculty, even though 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:47.080 people thought we were crazy, we saw what was coming. 0:14:47.240 --> 0:14:50.600 Everybody was using assistance and as a center of excellenc 0:14:50.840 --> 0:14:54.160 question was what does that mean? And we saw the 0:14:54.280 --> 0:14:59.320 trends for AI growing and really we saw, so to speak, 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:03.040 the x poond intial applications of AI for the future, 0:15:03.120 --> 0:15:06.560 and then we have a very strong cybersecurity program at HCC, 0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:10.240 so we immediately saw the connection and we decided we 0:15:10.240 --> 0:15:13.080 were going to launch one. It just happened that we 0:15:13.160 --> 0:15:16.360 had all the plans and everything ready to launch in 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:19.520 fall of twenty twenty. Because it takes a couple of 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:23.760 years to launch a program and hire ed so our 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:29.200 faculty had to get equipped to do the curriculum. So 0:15:29.400 --> 0:15:31.800 one of the things we did was where can we 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:36.120 get the curriculum to teach AI? And so we started 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:39.600 reaching out. We figure out, well, the companies are doing this, 0:15:40.200 --> 0:15:43.640 so let's reach out to different companies that are training 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:47.960 their staff. They have to have training materials, and somebody 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:50.840 I knew told me Intel has a program that they're 0:15:50.880 --> 0:15:55.720 starting in Arizona with Maricopa, So I reached out told 0:15:55.760 --> 0:15:59.600 them what we were doing in Texas. So Intel provided 0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:03.600 book camps for our faculty in computer science to be 0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:09.600 equipped to teach AI skills, and so between their support, 0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:14.600 our faculty was really prepared to utilize that curriculum integrated 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:18.040 into our associate's degree. So we launched a program and 0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:21.520 follow twenty twenty with Intel support and there, and since 0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:25.320 then they have been side by side with ACC and 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:28.640 everything that we do. We have a fabulous AI lab 0:16:29.240 --> 0:16:33.200 that we've been very fortunate to have Pat Gelsinger visitors 0:16:33.520 --> 0:16:36.360 their CEO, and I'm proud to say also that he's 0:16:36.360 --> 0:16:41.920 an ALUMNIICCCUS. He got an honorary degree from ACC because 0:16:41.960 --> 0:16:45.320 our students won the global competition in twenty twenty two 0:16:46.240 --> 0:16:48.760 and he came to see what was happening in this 0:16:48.840 --> 0:16:53.480 little community college. Intel has been providing the same type 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:58.040 of professional development to build the capacity to teach these 0:16:58.080 --> 0:16:59.680 programs across the US. 0:17:00.480 --> 0:17:04.760 So how many students go through that AI for Future Workforce. 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:08.560 Program at Houston Community College? We started with forty students. 0:17:09.080 --> 0:17:13.719 Today we have almost five hundred students, and we have 0:17:14.200 --> 0:17:18.200 also launched a bachelor's degree in Applied Technology in AI 0:17:18.240 --> 0:17:21.360 and Robotics, the first in the country by a community college. 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:26.080 So it's grown exponentially, and we've had students that walk 0:17:26.160 --> 0:17:29.360 down the hallway and see the AI lab and they 0:17:29.400 --> 0:17:31.240 get curious as they can I come in there and 0:17:31.240 --> 0:17:34.760 we tell them and they change their majors. Then they 0:17:34.800 --> 0:17:39.840 tell other friends, family members, So it's been an exciting 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:43.600 pathway to see the growth. We just want more community 0:17:43.640 --> 0:17:46.920 colleges in the country to do this. Our purpose would 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:51.960 be to help other colleges launch these degree programs across 0:17:52.000 --> 0:17:56.120 the US, and obviously with Intel support and our other 0:17:56.240 --> 0:18:00.160 tech companies support, Deal and Intail among them. 0:18:00.880 --> 0:18:05.320 And you talked a little bit about how students were 0:18:05.320 --> 0:18:10.320 able to get jobs really quickly after they've completed their coursework. 0:18:10.960 --> 0:18:14.040 Can you give me some examples of the type of 0:18:14.200 --> 0:18:17.800 industries the type of jobs that students have been able 0:18:17.840 --> 0:18:20.280 to get as a result of this program. 0:18:20.840 --> 0:18:22.840 Yeah, so I have a list of examples. This is 0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:24.840 not inclusive of all of them, but I can tell 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:27.800 you two of our students were recruited by Tesla. We 0:18:27.920 --> 0:18:30.679 have another student that went to work for our local 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:34.800 pharmaceutical company here in the Houston area. We got a 0:18:34.840 --> 0:18:39.400 couple of folks that are working with some in technology companies. 0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:45.720 One student is working for a geo scanning company. We 0:18:45.840 --> 0:18:49.480 have three students that have interesting enough gone to work 0:18:49.520 --> 0:18:53.760 for ced AI, and then we have had forced students 0:18:53.800 --> 0:18:57.840 go to become NASA scholars after they left. And we 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:00.480 have a large number of students that are trying entering 0:19:00.600 --> 0:19:05.160 into our bachelors of apply technology because it didn't exist 0:19:05.200 --> 0:19:07.840 before and it doesn't exist anywhere in Texas. 0:19:10.000 --> 0:19:12.840 You heard doctor Brilla Hopkins mentioned earlier that a number 0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:15.920 of students at the AI for Future Workforce Program at 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:18.719 Houston Community College are being hired as soon as they 0:19:18.760 --> 0:19:21.600 complete the program or they have jobs lined up even 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:25.440 before they graduate. These success stories come from a wide 0:19:25.520 --> 0:19:30.399 range of industries like jobs in electric vehicles, pharmaceuticals, global 0:19:30.440 --> 0:19:35.480 management and consulting, geotechnical scanning, AI, public policy, and even 0:19:35.720 --> 0:19:39.160 space aeronautics, just to name a few. But what's still 0:19:39.200 --> 0:19:42.280 paramount to the team at the AI for Future Workforce 0:19:42.320 --> 0:19:46.560 Program at HCC is that this pathway to success remains 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:50.600 accessible to all, regardless of the student's race, gender, or 0:19:50.640 --> 0:19:52.000 socioeconomic status. 0:19:56.800 --> 0:20:01.040 So I mentioned earlier, the demographics of our college in 0:20:01.160 --> 0:20:04.520 general and our demographics of our programs are pretty similar. 0:20:04.880 --> 0:20:08.359 What I'm also very hopeful is that I see a 0:20:08.359 --> 0:20:12.680 lot of women going in the deck field, which we've 0:20:12.720 --> 0:20:17.040 had a huge gap in females participation in the technology industry, 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:20.480 and about thirty percent of our students in the program 0:20:20.560 --> 0:20:24.200 are females. So I know that we're making a difference 0:20:24.240 --> 0:20:28.680 by providing that accents. This year, we're doing summer camps 0:20:28.840 --> 0:20:34.040 that include AI skill sets for our middle school and 0:20:34.119 --> 0:20:37.919 high school students. We're also creating pathways of what we 0:20:38.040 --> 0:20:43.600 call here in Texas dual credit programming that allows a 0:20:43.720 --> 0:20:47.200 student in high school when they're the last few years, 0:20:47.800 --> 0:20:52.920 complete a high school diploma and also an associates degree 0:20:53.400 --> 0:20:56.720 at the same time. So I talked about fourteen thousand 0:20:56.840 --> 0:21:00.880 for an Ambassador's degree. If they take dual ready classes 0:21:00.920 --> 0:21:04.040 and complete their associates degree while they're in high school, 0:21:04.240 --> 0:21:07.600 cut that in half because that's half of the program 0:21:07.960 --> 0:21:11.800 already done, already done, and then they graduate a lot sooner, 0:21:11.960 --> 0:21:15.080 and that means that they're going to enter the workforce 0:21:15.320 --> 0:21:18.879 a lot sooner. So their lifelong earnings will be a 0:21:18.920 --> 0:21:23.040 lot higher because they're going to enter a high demand 0:21:23.080 --> 0:21:27.760 field that's relevant, that has high wages, and their careers 0:21:28.520 --> 0:21:32.600 long term earnings will actually be I think that they'll 0:21:32.640 --> 0:21:33.320 be double. 0:21:34.160 --> 0:21:39.040 Yeah. I'm a parent of teenagers myself. My oldest daughter 0:21:39.080 --> 0:21:42.600 is going through that decision making process of what subjects 0:21:42.600 --> 0:21:45.879 to choose and all of that. I'm sure many of 0:21:45.880 --> 0:21:49.000 our listeners have teenagers going through that exact same thing. 0:21:49.520 --> 0:21:51.359 I like to know if you've got any tips to 0:21:51.480 --> 0:21:55.320 parents to help them guide their children in this crucial 0:21:55.359 --> 0:21:59.200 time of almost like feeling like you're deciding your whole life. 0:22:00.119 --> 0:22:04.320 Listen, my youngest daughter went through that whole process not 0:22:04.400 --> 0:22:07.640 too long ago, right, So what do I tell parents? 0:22:08.000 --> 0:22:15.560 Look for learning experiences that your local community colleges all offer, 0:22:16.320 --> 0:22:23.320 especially anything on STEM related opportunities. Call look what your 0:22:23.320 --> 0:22:27.520 local community college has. Many of times these programs are 0:22:27.640 --> 0:22:30.600 free of charge because it's part of the mission of 0:22:30.640 --> 0:22:35.920 the colleges. As a parent, as your school principle and 0:22:35.960 --> 0:22:40.280 your superintendents, what are you all doing about AI education 0:22:40.840 --> 0:22:44.560 at our schools? Our kids need to learn this, So 0:22:44.640 --> 0:22:49.960 become an advocate for your own children, right, Provide experiences 0:22:50.000 --> 0:22:53.919 for them to explore in a safe environment, which is 0:22:53.960 --> 0:22:58.119 your schools. Find ways to get your kids to learn 0:22:58.680 --> 0:23:02.840 the new technology. It's impacting their life and it's going 0:23:02.920 --> 0:23:05.879 to be a must for them to be proficient, to 0:23:05.960 --> 0:23:09.520 be able to be successful and to have careers with 0:23:09.600 --> 0:23:13.040 livable wages in the future. So that's what I would 0:23:13.080 --> 0:23:14.920 say to the parents that are listening. 0:23:15.400 --> 0:23:19.000 Excellent, and in terms of the II for the Future 0:23:19.160 --> 0:23:23.879 Workforce program, if other college professors and administrators are listening 0:23:23.880 --> 0:23:27.480 to this, how can they get involved in that program? 0:23:28.080 --> 0:23:32.720 Well, I would say contact your local INTEL regional contact. 0:23:33.320 --> 0:23:36.960 But if they want to Houston Community College, a Miami 0:23:37.080 --> 0:23:40.480 Dade at Mary Coopa College, all three of us are 0:23:40.480 --> 0:23:44.760 committed to helping other colleges, and they can also contact 0:23:44.840 --> 0:23:49.760 the American Association of Community Colleges the Workforce Division, and 0:23:49.800 --> 0:23:53.240 they will put them in contact with those like myself 0:23:53.320 --> 0:23:58.280 and others that are leading this pathway of building the 0:23:58.359 --> 0:24:02.160 next workforce of the twenty five century in the AI era. 0:24:02.840 --> 0:24:05.600 So just reach out, reach out to an AACC or 0:24:05.640 --> 0:24:09.160 to us at Houston Community College or the other two colleges. 0:24:09.200 --> 0:24:12.160 We'll be happy to help them through this process. 0:24:12.960 --> 0:24:15.800 Excellent. Thank you so much for joining us today. 0:24:16.000 --> 0:24:17.840 Oh, thank you Graham, it's been a pleasure. 0:24:19.920 --> 0:24:23.320 Thank you to doctor Madeleine Barilla Hopkins for her expertise 0:24:23.320 --> 0:24:28.160 in today's episode of Technically Speaking for our regular listeners. 0:24:28.280 --> 0:24:31.439 In season one, episode seven, we discussed the importance of 0:24:31.520 --> 0:24:34.879 upskilling workers to take advantage of the AI explosion we 0:24:34.920 --> 0:24:37.879 are all now witnessing. So it was a real pleasure 0:24:37.920 --> 0:24:41.320 to talk with Madeline about the tangible strides Houston Community 0:24:41.359 --> 0:24:45.480 College has taken to provide those crucial AI skills for students. 0:24:46.080 --> 0:24:48.439 I could sense the pride Madeline has in providing these 0:24:48.440 --> 0:24:52.640 opportunities to students from all backgrounds to enjoy the benefits 0:24:52.680 --> 0:24:55.840 of this exciting technology. In particular, I love the fact 0:24:55.880 --> 0:24:58.639 that she was willing to promote other colleges trying to 0:24:58.680 --> 0:25:01.960 achieve a similar mission and to be a model for 0:25:02.040 --> 0:25:06.320 other institutions to emulate. I believe that AI skills such 0:25:06.359 --> 0:25:09.879 as prompt engineering, and as strange as it may sound, 0:25:10.240 --> 0:25:13.600 be able to communicate properly with AI agents, it will 0:25:13.600 --> 0:25:16.639 set you apart from others and enable you to focus 0:25:16.680 --> 0:25:20.199 on true creativity and innovation. I think the students and 0:25:20.240 --> 0:25:24.520 teachers of AI programs at institutions like Houston Community College 0:25:24.720 --> 0:25:31.400 will truly help bring AI everywhere. Next time, on our 0:25:31.440 --> 0:25:34.320 final episode of season two, we're bringing home the gold 0:25:34.359 --> 0:25:37.280 Medal as we look at how AI will help change 0:25:37.320 --> 0:25:41.440 our experience of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. So join 0:25:41.560 --> 0:25:45.159 us on July sixteenth for this very special episode of 0:25:45.240 --> 0:25:53.159 Technically Speaking and Intel podcast. Technically Speaking was produced by 0:25:53.119 --> 0:25:57.040 a Ruby Studio from iHeartRadio in partnership with Intel and 0:25:57.080 --> 0:26:01.280 hosted by me Graham class. My executive producer is Molly Sosher, 0:26:01.880 --> 0:26:05.159