Groups of high school students from Peoria heard about the growing importance of artificial intelligence technology as it relates to workforce development during a panel discussion Monday at Distillery Labs.
“The important message that I want to be able to deliver today is that we’re not left out,” said Amanda White, a Richwoods High School graduate who was among three Microsoft representatives on the panel.
“You will not be left behind. You have an opportunity to learn something new and really leverage that to the best of your ability.”
The Next Generation Workforce Day event kicked off the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council’s observance of Economic Development Week. The program marked a partnership among the GPEDC, Distillery Labs, Microsoft, and Illinois Central College’s “TRIO” support services program for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“We’re simply here to fill the knowledge gap that students have and the uncertainty that not only they have, but we all have, regarding technology and the future, and what that means for the workforce,” said TRIO director Demarcus Hamilton, who’s also known as Marc Supreme.
“For the student end, it’s, ‘Hey. I was thinking about going to school for computer science, computer programming, computer engineering, or whatever. But should I still do that? Is AI going to take all those jobs, or is their workforce going to be significantly reduced by 30-40% because of this new technology? And do I need to pivot and go somewhere else?”
Supreme, an educator and motivational speaker who founded the DIGIM career initiative based around his book D@mn, I Graduate In May! served as moderator for the panel that included Bradley University computer science professor Adam Byerly and Microsoft’s Erika Smith and Kevin Moore.
The program aimed to offer a hands-on experience that would connect students with real-world applications of AI and emerging technology careers.
“If you’re a young person, you should know 70% of executors are expecting their workforce to have a basic level of AI fluency. So we used to look at AI as an opportunity, now as a mandate,” said Smith, who represents Microsoft Elevate, the company's social impact initiative designed to foster the AI skills needed to thrive in the changing economy.
“So with AI and the future of work and with how it’s shaping economies, this is the opportune time for people to lean in. Whether you are a child, a young adult, a senior, AI can be helpful for you.”
Moore works as a critical environment program manager for a Microsoft data center in Georgia. He said the conversation with students is critical for the future workforce needs.
“We want to make sure that students understand that AI capabilities are bigger than just using it for homework,” he said. “It gives them the knowledge of understanding, and encourage them to be creative, and think outside of the box.
“This platform, when you think about AI capabilities, is all about ideation. If you don’t think and try to use what’s in this cranium of ours, you’re going to miss out on a lot.”
Economic Development Week events at Distillery Labs continue through Friday, highlighted by a full-day innovation summit Thursday entitled “Powering the Heartland: The Future of Energy, Manufacturing and Innovation.” At that time, GPEDC will release its Big Table Community Report.
"The Big Table process gave residents and stakeholders across the region a seat at the table,” said GPEDC CEO Chris Setti. “This report captures what our community told us matters most — and it will directly shape the economic development strategy we build together.”
