I presented “Building the AI Workforce: Practical Pathways into Applied Computing” at the 2026 PCATT AI Summit at the Ala Moana Hotel, in the summit’s AI and the Future of Work track.

The session introduced UH Mānoa’s AI and data science professional programs, which are built for learners who arrive without any computer science background. I focused on how the programs are designed around the students themselves, and on what actually happens over a single year as people move from little or no computing experience to real competence through practical training, project-based work, and hands-on exposure to current AI and data science methods.

Mahalo to PCATT and Honolulu Community College for pulling together local tech educators, employers, and community members around the question of how Hawaiʻi builds its AI workforce.

Presenting 'Building the AI Workforce: Practical Pathways into Applied Computing' at the 2026 PCATT AI Summit

Presenting at the 2026 PCATT AI Summit, Ala Moana Hotel