Explorations: bringing high school students and GED earners into artificial intelligence career pathways

Kettering University received a $999,878 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Office of Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, to develop and implement an artificial intelligence (AI) career pathway program for high school students and General Educational Development (GED) earners. The program delivers three primary services: academic preparation and mentoring, academic experiential learning through project-based activities, and mini-internship opportunities designed to provide meaningful work experience at an appropriate skill level. By removing barriers to entry in the AI field, the initiative prepares participants with no prior AI experience for further education and training in this critical technology domain.

In addition to direct participant services, the project generates research-based knowledge on effective program design and implementation practices for short-term internships integrated with academic experiential learning. Using surveys and interviews conducted by a professional evaluator, the research team will document outcomes and best practices to create a replicable model that other institutions can adopt to expand AI workforce development opportunities. This approach aligns with the Integrative Activities program's mission to build capacity in science and engineering fields while broadening participation in emerging technology sectors essential to national competitiveness.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an important area of technology that will have far-reaching impacts on people?s lives. Ensuring that those impacts are positive for the country requires a well-trained workforce of sufficient size to carry out research and development of AI, and to apply that knowledge to products and services that are safe and helpful to industry and the general public. The purpose of this project is to prepare individuals with no prior experience in AI for future career pathways in this area. High school students and individuals with GED will be invited to apply. The participants preparation for an AI future will fall into three distinct areas: academic preparation and mentoring, academic experiential learning, and a mini-internship for experiential learning. This will give the participants foundational knowledge as well as guidance on how that knowledge can be applied, opening doors to AI for students who might not otherwise pursue this path. In this project, the research team will develop knowledge on the best way to design and implement short internships for high school and GED participants, ensuring that they involve meaningful work while also being at an appropriate level. The team will also investigate the linkage between these internships and academic experiential learning, such as project-based learning activities. The project will provide information on how to best support and prepare individuals who have no prior experience with AI for future education and careers in this field. The data used to generate this knowledge will be based on a series of surveys and interviews, conducted by a professional evaluator. As a result of this project, participants will be well prepared for further education and training in AI, and the program design will be documented in such a way that other institutions can replicate IT in order to serve more individuals. The exlent program, supported by the NSF tip and EDU directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and access to career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.