Forsyth Tech Wins $916,000 NSF Grant to Build AI Technician Pathways

Forsyth Tech News  |  Grants

Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has received a three-year, $916,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create a new artificial intelligence degree and train technicians who can deploy, support and maintain AI-enabled technologies.

What the NSF grant funds

The NSF grant funds Forsyth Tech’s SPARK project and the development of a new Associate of Applied Science degree in Information Technology–Artificial Intelligence. The three-year grant is titled “Building Employer-Driven Pathways for Artificial Intelligence Technicians.”

As artificial intelligence transforms businesses and industries, employers increasingly need skilled technicians who can deploy, support and maintain AI-enabled technologies. SPARK brings together employers, K-12 schools, workforce organizations, universities and national AI education partners to build pathways into those jobs.

How employers shape the AI program

Employers help decide what students learn. Through Forsyth Tech’s Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model, faculty work with employers and national partners to develop and continually improve the curriculum and lab activities around knowledge, skills and abilities that employers have validated.

“This NSF investment provides Forsyth Tech with an incredible opportunity to prepare our students and our community for the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence,” said Dr. Alan Murdock, chief officer for innovation and the future of work at Forsyth Tech. “Just as importantly, this work will be guided by employers so that our students develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the workplace.”

“By bringing together education and industry, we can create pathways that lead to meaningful careers while helping employers develop the talent they need for the future.”

Dr. Alan Murdock, chief officer for innovation and the future of work

What students will do in the new AI and robotics lab

Students will learn through hands-on projects and real-world applications of artificial intelligence in a new AI and robotics lab equipped with high-performance computing, cloud-based learning environments and applied robotics technologies.

Students in the program can earn industry-recognized credentials and take part in project-based learning, work-based learning, internships and applied capstone projects. University partnerships will create transfer pathways for students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree.

How SPARK reaches K-12 schools and other colleges

Professional development will help Forsyth Tech faculty and K-12 teachers bring AI concepts into their classrooms. Partnerships with local school systems will build awareness of AI careers and strengthen pathways from high school to college and the workforce.

“Artificial intelligence is changing the skills employers need across nearly every industry,” said Joey Bryant, department chair for IT-Data, Web & Software Development at Forsyth Tech. “This grant gives us the opportunity to build those skills with employers rather than simply trying to anticipate what industry will need. It also allows us to introduce students to AI earlier, connect K-12 and college pathways, and provide students with meaningful applied experiences that prepare them to use these technologies in the workplace.”

Forsyth Tech will share its curriculum resources, lab modules and lessons learned nationally through the SPARK Virtual Lab Portal, ATE Central, professional conferences and national networks so other community colleges can adapt the work. The NSF Advanced Technological Education program focuses on educating technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy.

Frequently asked questions

How much did Forsyth Tech receive from the National Science Foundation?

Forsyth Tech received $916,000 over three years through the NSF Advanced Technological Education program.

What is SPARK at Forsyth Tech?

SPARK (Student Pathways for AI Readiness and Knowledge) is Forsyth Tech’s NSF-funded project to build employer-driven pathways into artificial intelligence technician careers, including a new AI degree, an AI and robotics lab and K-12 partnerships.

What AI degree does the grant support?

The grant supports development of Forsyth Tech’s Associate of Applied Science degree in Information Technology–Artificial Intelligence, which prepares students to deploy, support and maintain AI-enabled technologies.

How are employers involved?

Through the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model, employers work with faculty to develop and continually improve the curriculum and lab activities.