Northern Kentucky University, We Lead CS, and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce on Friday launched “AI for Every Future,” a groundbreaking public-private partnership during a press conference held at Northern Kentucky University.
The program is designed to give high school students hands-on, real-world application of artificial intelligence skills while building an early talent pipeline for regional employers.
The initiative pairs 20 high school students enrolled in the virtual We Lead CS “Intro to AI” pilot course with local businesses across diverse economic sectors – including advanced manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and finance – to solve actual workplace challenges. NKU’s College of Informatics originally developed the foundational curriculum as a general education requirement before We Lead CS adapted and extended the instruction down into secondary education.
“AI literacy is no longer an optional elective for tech majors; it is a foundational skill required in every single industry,” said Stephanie Klatzke, Interim Dean of the NKU College of Informatics. “We designed our AI Literacy curriculum to help students across majors understand artificial intelligence, examine its uses and limitations, and consider how to use it responsibly. Our partnership with We Lead CS ensures Kentucky students don’t have to wait for college to begin building the skills the modern economy demands.”
We Lead CS, Kentucky’s virtual computer science career academy, allows students from across the Commonwealth, particularly those in rural communities, access to five dual college credit computer science career pathways.
“A student’s zip code should never determine their opportunity to discover their talents or pursue their interests,” said Alicia Sells, CEO of We Lead CS. “Our students have many different ambitions. These projects will help them connect what they are learning about AI with those interests, develop judgment and confidence, and create work they can explain in a future college or job interview.”
The NKY Chamber is actively leading the employer recruitment effort for the initiative, seeking an initial cohort of five employer partners to launch five distinct workplace challenges.
“For the first time, more than half of the jobs requiring fundamental AI skills in America are completely outside of the traditional tech sector, making early workforce development a priority for every industry,” said Brent Cooper, President & CEO of the NKY Chamber. “’AI for Every Future’ gives our business community an active seat at the table to strengthen our talent pipeline. Employers bring an understanding of the work, the questions, and the challenges students could encounter in their future careers. In return, students bring a fresh perspective, analytical skills, and solutions worth exploring further to keep the Commonwealth competitive on a national and global scale.”
The initiative builds upon legislative action from the Kentucky General Assembly, which previously passed legislation to fund and create We Lead CS as a statewide mechanism to future-proof the state’s workforce.
“For our region to remain a competitive hub for logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare, we must have an AI-ready workforce,” said Rep. Mike Clines. “The ‘AI for Every Future’ partnership is a perfect model of how public funding for We Lead CS and involvement from private industry can foster development of a robust talent pipeline that meets needs for job growth and job creation.”
Regional employers interested in exploring how their organization or business can participate are invited to a virtual employer information session on Nov. 19, from 9 to 10 a.m. EST. We Lead CS instructors will explain how workplace ideas are structured into appropriate high school projects, outline the low-time-commitment feedback model, and guide employers through the onboarding process.
Employers do not need a fully developed project assignment to attend and are encouraged to bring their workplace questions and curiosity. Registration is available online, or you can learn more by reaching out to Dr. Kelley Ransdell, Chief Operating Officer, at kransdell@weleadcs.org.
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