Usher’s New Look (UNL) has joined with IBM to provide free career training centered on artificial intelligence (AI) and professional skills through IBM’s SkillsBuild platform.
This collaboration aims to benefit thousands of UNL’s underrepresented youth learners nationwide, equipping them with vital technological know-how for future workforce success. According to a press release, the partnership enhances UNL’s existing leadership, financial literacy, and career-readiness curricula by integrating customized IBM SkillsBuild AI coursework tailored to learners’ levels.
Courses include resume writing with AI, building chatbots, and mastering AI prompting.
Coupled with professional skills like public speaking and interview prep, these learning plans provide “a foundational understanding of AI” to prepare students for careers. Beyond customized plans, learners will gain access to over 1,000 SkillsBuild courses spanning AI fundamentals, ethics, machine learning, and customer service—aligning with IBM’s goal to train 2 million people in AI through 2026.
“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,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM vice president and chief impact officer. “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.”
Careshia Moore, UNL’s president and CEO, echoed the value: “Access to AI and other innovative technological advances will help our students become productive members of today’s competitive workforce.”
UNL, an organization founded by singer Usher Raymond IV in 1999, supports under-resourced youth, will integrate IBM’s resources into programs like its Disruptivator Clubs, Leadership Academies, and the 2024 Disruptivator Summit, which is expected to put on the nation’s largest youth conference this July in Atlanta.
“We believe IBM SkillsBuild can make a real difference for promising learners underrepresented in tech,” Nixon-Saintil said.
The collaboration underscores AI’s workforce impact: 61% of respondents in a recent survey deemed it “necessary” for K-12 students to learn AI skills for future careers.