Labor Unions and Community Colleges Can Promote AI Literacy
Article/Op-Ed in Forbes
Houston Community College
Sept. 30, 2024
Shalin Jyotishi wrote an article in Forbes about how labor unions and community colleges can collaborate to enhance AI literacy among workers, addressing the skills gap in the labor market.
Up to forty percent of the workforce will need to upskill or reskill as more employers accelerate AI adoption in the workplace. Educators are considering many important ideas to help the labor market navigate the future of work, but a missing ingredient seems to be to encourage more labor union partnerships with workforce training partners, especially community colleges.
In recent years, labor unions have stepped up their response to AI. The most notable accomplishment was the Hollywood Writers Strike, led by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, which culminated in historic AI protections for workers. Shortly thereafter, in December 2023, Microsoft and the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States, announced a significant partnership to navigate AI in the workplace. It was the first partnership of its kind between a labor organization and a technology company.
Likewise, a recent Fast Company headline prompted, “Want a job in AI? Start at your local community college.” Community colleges have become unexpected destinations for AI education with growing enrollment. More students seek AI skills.