Celebrating Excellence: Carla C. Johnson, Professor of Science Education, Honored with Industry Partner Innovator Award and Adaptive Leadership Award from the Department of Labor

Professor Carla C. Johnson from NC State College of Education has received two prestigious awards from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Closing the Skills Gap Program. She was honored with the Partner Innovator Award and the Adaptive Leadership Award for her leadership in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Academy.

The AI Academy, founded in 2020 with a $6 million grant from the Department of Labor, aims to train workers for careers in the growing field of AI. Johnson’s goal is to provide training, coursework, and certification opportunities that are accessible to everyone.

“I am very honored to receive this recognition on behalf of the AI Academy and our industry partners,” Johnson expressed. “In the last five years, we’ve expanded from four founding partners to over 100 today. Our Academy supports organizations across various industries, not just IT companies.”

As the first nationally registered AI apprenticeship program in the United States, the AI Academy has helped over 2,000 individuals launch their careers in artificial intelligence. Recently, they received a grant from the National Science Foundation to broaden access to their program, especially for low-income and first-generation students, creating externship opportunities in STEM fields.

Starting this month, the Academy will extend its reach to K-12 educators. A new pilot program will help teachers enhance their AI skills, enabling them to teach AI courses to high school students.

“We aim to empower teachers with essential AI knowledge so they can effectively deliver coursework in high school,” Johnson said. “This initiative will provide students with valuable learning experiences in AI, paving the way for further studies and careers in this exciting field.”

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