In a major move to bridge the “AI skills gap,” Somerset-based global tech giant SHI International Corp. has teamed up with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) to distribute high-level AI credentials to the national workforce.
The partnership will see SHI offer NJIT’s specialized “AI Literacy” and “AI for Educators” microcredentials to its global client base. The initiative aims to move AI education out of the IT department and into every level of the modern workplace, regardless of a worker’s technical background.
Developed by NJIT’s Learning and Development Initiative (LDI), the curriculum is designed to be “human centered.” Rather than focusing on coding, the courses provide a foundational understanding of how AI systems function, their ethical implications, and how to use them responsibly in professional settings.
The partnership features two primary tracks:
- AI Literacy: A sector-agnostic course for any professional seeking to understand AI’s limitations, ethical considerations, and practical applications.
- AI for Educators: A specialized track for K–12 and higher-ed faculty to integrate AI into classroom design and student assessment.
For SHI, the collaboration is a response to a growing trend: companies are buying AI software but don’t know how to prepare their employees to use it.
“Our customers are asking how to prepare their entire workforce for AI,” Rami Douenias, senior director of Solutions Engineering at SHI said. “NJIT’s microcredential provides an accessible on-ramp for anyone to understand AI… allowing our clients to build a common foundation that supports sustainable adoption.”
This alliance highlights the synergy between New Jersey’s higher education institutions and its private sector leaders. By leveraging SHI’s massive distribution network, NJIT is able to scale its academic expertise to a global audience.
“AI literacy is now a baseline capability for participation in modern work and society,” Michael Edmondson, associate provost at NJIT said. “By partnering with SHI, we can scale a shared understanding of AI that empowers people across industries.”
On March 26, NJIT will dedicate an entire day to AI by repurposing all classes for a campus-wide exploration.
