NVIDIA and Oregon partner to foster AI-ready workforce with $10M investment

Investing.com -- NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and the State of Oregon have jointly announced a new partnership aimed at developing a workforce ready for artificial intelligence (AI) innovations. The collaboration includes a $10 million investment and will provide Oregon with access to NVIDIA’s technologies for workforce upskilling. This initiative is expected to boost innovation, competition, and economic growth within the state.

The announcement was made by Governor Tina Kotek during her speech at the Northwest Breakfast Forum, an event hosted by SEMI, an association for the semiconductor, electronics design, and manufacturing supply chain industries. The Governor emphasized that AI is transforming lifestyles and work dynamics, and through this partnership with NVIDIA, Oregon is set to prepare its workers, businesses, and public service professionals for a prosperous future.

Louis Stewart, Head of Strategic Initiatives at NVIDIA, underscored the importance of AI in the new industrial revolution. He stated that the collaboration would equip Oregon with necessary NVIDIA technologies to upskill its workforce, fostering innovation, competition, and economic growth.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Oregon and NVIDIA outlines a cooperative framework to encourage entrepreneurship, expand AI-focused education, and skill-building. It also aims to assist state agencies in identifying ways to responsibly utilize AI to improve government services.

As part of this partnership, NVIDIA will collaborate with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) and various Oregon colleges and universities to initiate an AI Ambassador Program. This program will deploy trained ambassadors across Oregon campuses to deliver hands-on training and mentorship to students. The initiative will be supervised by a steering committee comprising state and industry representatives.

HECC Director Ben Cannon expressed enthusiasm for this strategic collaboration with NVIDIA, which is expected to position Oregon’s higher education institutions and workforce training providers at the forefront of AI application and cutting-edge technologies.

In addition to the MOU, Governor Kotek is directing $10 million from the Oregon CHIPS Act funding to the state’s Semiconductor Talent Sustaining Fund. This investment is intended to support workforce development projects related to the semiconductor and AI sectors. The focus will be on training Oregonians, particularly those from underrepresented communities, for high-paying careers.

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