Roane State symposium to look at AI, future of the workforce

The Oak Ridger
·2 min read
To register for the free symposium, go to roanestate.edu/worc2030.
To register for the free symposium, go to roanestate.edu/worc2030.

Registration is open for a free Future of Work Symposium to be held March 14 at Roane State Community College.

Lynne E. Parker, vice chancellor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, will speak about the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation on the skills needed by the workforce of tomorrow, a news release said.

Lynne Parker became the founding director of the National AI Initiative Office, but has now taken the lead on the Tennessee AI initiative.
Lynne Parker became the founding director of the National AI Initiative Office, but has now taken the lead on the Tennessee AI initiative.

The event will examine what the workforce will look like in the year 2030 and explore future-proofing solutions for a variety of industries.

The symposium is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. and wrap up at approximately 4:30 p.m. The event will be hosted inside the O'Brien Theatre at the college's flagship campus in Harriman. Registration and additional details are available online at roanestate.edu/worc2030.

Three panel discussions are scheduled to follow the keynote, with breakout sessions expanding on the topics covered, including AI, advanced manufacturing, digital twinning, and entrepreneurship. Tennessee Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Deneice Thomas will also welcome attendees and participate in one of the panels.

The symposium is part of the Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities (WORC) grant, which Roane State is administering to help provide non-need-based training for those in the workforce, those out of the workforce, or those who have been dislocated by their job.

“Our goal with this symposium is to support small businesses in the heart of our local communities so that they can succeed and prepare for the future,” Mike Eppler, director of the WORC grant in Roane State’s Workforce Development office, said in the release. “The training we are able to offer is already supporting entrepreneurship and building a better business ecosystem that will be sustainable long after this grant is done.”

The WORC grant-funded training is available through the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC) at Roane State. Applications are currently being accepted. Full scholarships are available for business owners and employees seeking training to help support their business. Applications can be found at roanestate.edu/sbec.

Roane State's campus in Harriman is at 276 Patton Lane. The theatre is in the O'Brien Building. A campus/building map is available online.

For more information on the symposium, visit roanestate.edu/worc2030.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Roane State symposium to look at AI, future of the workforce