Intel Corp. and the Maricopa County Community College District have taken the wraps off of a new artificial intelligence incubator lab to enhance studies for students enrolled in the AI for Workforce program at the Chandler-Gilbert Community College campus.
Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) provided CGCC a grant for the purchase of $60,000 worth of cutting-edge equipment for the first-of-its-kind lab, including state of the art workstations, monitors, and open-source Intel software tools to implement new AI technology.
In partnership with Intel, Texas-based Dell, and the Arizona Commerce Authority, the AI incubator lab will be used by students looking to land jobs in areas ranging from business to health care — and other professions that increasingly draw on AI technology.
MCCCD and Intel launched the AI for Workforce program in 2020 and now it is being offered to 31 community colleges across the country to provide hands-on training and expanded access to technology skills needed for current and future jobs.
“The MCCCD was the first community college to partner with Intel on their AI for Workforce program in 2020. Within the last two years, we have been able to see our students gain new AI skills, and we are proud to have our first graduating class from the AI program this spring,” said MCCCD Interim Chancellor Steven R. Gonzales, in a statement.
About 200 students are enrolled in the AI for Workforce program at Chandler-Gilbert Community College and now have access to the new AI lab. A total of 13,000 students attend the college, and all are eligible to apply for the AI for Workforce program.
“We are committed to the re-skilling of the American workforce and to advancing diversity and inclusion to ensure that the next generation of technologists are prepared and provided opportunities for AI education,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group, in a statement.
Local demand for AI talent is increasing in the Valley, and careers are projected to grow faster than the average rate for all employment over the next decade. In particular, a huge demand is expected in advanced manufacturing jobs as more electric vehicle manufacturers flock to Arizona along with new semiconductor production facilities, known as fabs. Intel is undertaking a major expansion of its Chandler campus.
Jobs using AI skills are expected to increase 22.4% nationwide by 2029, according to Economic Modeling Specialists Inc.
