South Carolina State University students are closing the gap in AI skilling earning almost 1000 badges

AI is set to create 69 million new roles by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum, but how are universities preparing the new generation of the workforce? As a South Carolina State University professor, Dr. Nikunja Swain, sought out to make sure those roles could be filled by his students, now professors and students at SCSU are preparing themselves for future careers by taking advantage of free IBM AI courses.

Dr. Swain utilized grant funds to make AI a priority in SCSU’s curriculum. Though this new curriculum was a requirement for freshman at the school to obtain one of the IBM SkillsBuild badges, many juniors and seniors took advantage of the free courses to pursue their own interests in AI. Students Keshawn Burns and graduate Juliana Chengula explored their passions in AI and technology and discuss how earned badges are equipping them the skills they may need to succeed in future careers. Including Juliana and Keshawn, the students at SCSU earned a collective 809 IBM SkillsBuild AI Badges in one year.

The integration of AI training in education is essential to staying at the forefront of technological advancements and ensuring preparedness for the future. IBM is dedicated to bridging the skills gap in AI by providing resources to develop a workforce of gifted individuals from underrepresented communities. With IBM’s resources and the dedication of Dr. Swain, the badges that these students earned are just the beginning of further closing the gap in AI skills at SCSU.

Below I’ve included short sound bites from interviews with Dr. Swain and the students mentioned above talking through how this work is pivotal to their future goals. If you would like to speak with someone from IBM, Dr. Swain, or either student to learn more about this work, don’t hesitate to reach out.

• Dr. Swain clip 
•  Keshawn Burns clip 
• Juliana Chengula clip 
• Learn more about IBM SkillsBuild here: https://skillsbuild.org/