Voorhees College proudly announces a $2 million collaboration with International Business Machines (IBM) on a comprehensive program designed to develop diverse and high demand skill sets that align with industry needs and trends so both students and faculty can develop the skills they need for technology-based careers.
Currently, the institution and IBM are building on the need to advance digital skills in education and are dedicated to providing future focused curriculum and educational tools to help train the diverse workforce of tomorrow in fast-growing technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, data science, cybersecurity, cloud, and quantum.
Valinda Scarbro Kennedy, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program lead, IBM Global University Programs, said equal access to skills and jobs is the key to unlocking economic opportunity and prosperity for diverse populations.
“As we announced earlier this fall, IBM is deeply committed to helping HBCU students build their skills to better prepare for the future of work,” Kennedy said. “Through this collaboration, Voorhees College students will have an opportunity to gain modern skills in emerging technologies across hybrid cloud, quantum and AI so they can be better prepared for the future of work in the digital economy.”
Dr. Ronnie Hopkins, Voorhees interim president, said the institution is elated to partner with IBM, a global technology giant that has impacted the world in technological innovations for nearly 110 years. “The critical relationship advances the College’s vision to expand technology progression and seeks to become the most expansive development in the history of the College.”
Dr. Zhabiz Golkar, chair of the Department of Science Technology, Health and Human Services said the opportunity provides us with great resources for our computer science and cyber security major.
“Faculty have been enhancing their knowledge and technique from the IBM training courses to increase their vision about advanced and updated computer science,” Golkar said. “Our mathematics and computer science faculty will integrate some of the IBM training topics into related courses; and guide students to study and interpret the full scope of the material.”
