DMACC partners with Intel for AI skills curriculum development
DMACC has partnered with Intel to develop curriculum to train students in AI skills. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)Des Moines Area Community College is working to incorporate artificial intelligence skills training across its program offerings through a partnership with Intel.
The community college is set to become the first Intel AI for Workforce College partner in Iowa, with more than 110 participating universities spread throughout the U.S. Working with the company, DMACC will develop a non-credit certificate program this fall to teach students how to effectively use AI in the workplace, DMACC President Rob Denson said, with credit courses and AI competency curriculum to be worked into different areas of the college in the future.
Denson said the program first came to the college’s attention about six months ago, and once he heard that no Iowa colleges were involved, he and DMACC staff immediately started working to become the first. Many institutions are looking at how to integrate AI skills into their programming, he said, and having competency in AI is something employers are looking for.
“It fits in every area of curriculum… every subject matter, whether it’s technical or arts and sciences, can benefit from the AI process,” Denson said.
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DMACC, along with other college partners in the initiative, are provided with more than 700 hours of “AI content,” according to Intel’s website, including prepackaged courses, modules, assignments, labs and more. Intel staff also work with colleges to provide teacher training and technical support.
Students will gain technical skills in coding and data science, among other areas, Intel stated, and they will also learn about the ethics that come about with artificial intelligence, how to reduce bias in programs and how to solve problems and build solutions. The goals behind the AI for Workforce initiative are to help people understand and easily work with AI tools, increase their employability for jobs involving AI and show the impact these jobs have on their industries.
While faculty across the community college will be involved with folding teaching elements of the program into their curriculum, a full-time faculty member has also been hired to handle instruction. Denson said faculty have already met with Intel staff to begin the curriculum sharing process, as the company won’t have any direct involvement with students.
DMACC is still in the process of gathering information in order to develop a certificate program, Denson said, working with Intel and reaching out to other AI for Workforce colleges to learn about their best practices. The college is also planning to meet with its advisory committees and industry partners to better understand employers’ needs when it comes to AI skills.
In the future, Denson said, AI will be an important facet in everyone’s work, and he’s worked to ensure that DMACC leadership knows what tools are out there and identify areas where AI could be used. The college president has utilized AI as a “thought partner” in project development, and while he said it isn’t foolproof, it can be helpful.
“My expectation is that it will continue to improve, and as AI progresses, Intel will upgrade and update their curriculum accordingly, and again, make it available through us,” Denson said.
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