Paving the Path for “Blue-Collar AI” Professionals
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the engine driving a big change that experts are referring to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0. So, just as the assembly line powered the industrial revolution, in that same vein, community colleges in the United States are primed to be the spark plug for the new blue-collar AI workforce revolution. You might be thinking, “AI and tech roles, aren’t they all about those top-tier four-year degrees and PhDs?” Here’s where things get interesting. Traditionally, AI and tech roles have been linked with prestigious four-year degrees. However, the advent of “Blue Collar AI Professionals” — AI jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree — is seriously shaking up the old stereotypes. With AI being adopted across all industries and fields, we will see a shift in traditional thinking.
As we continue to see the rise of “blue-collar AI” jobs, community colleges have become the potential “engine rooms” for training and developing a diverse talent pool of AI professionals. With their shorter and more affordable programs catering to applied skills, Community Colleges are more accessible for individuals who are unable to or do not want to take on a four-year course load or student loans at a 4-year University. As of the writing of this article, there are 1,038 community colleges that have a solid track record in terms of diversity. In 2021, The National Center for Education Statistics reported that 56% of Native American, 52% of Hispanic, 43% of Black, and 40% of Asian/Pacific Islander undergraduate students were enrolled in community colleges. As of right now. 29.5% of all students attend a community college; this is a sizable pool of talent ready to be tapped into (source).
I may be a bit biased on this topic, as my job involves helping Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), including community colleges, create new AI credentialing programs based on industry inputs and labor market skills demands. When creating a new credentialing program, community colleges must identify the job roles and associated skills the program needs to focus on and also identify the employers’ demand for those jobs. This means that students attending a community college are able to focus on gaining applied skills that position them to be labor market ready in shorter timeframes than their University counterparts.
Let me give you an example. Houston Community College offers an Associated Degree in Artificial Intelligence their courses include content provided by Industry partners such as Intel and AWS. Students enrolled in the degree program spend two-year learning applied AI skills that align with Machine learning Engineer skills and graduate labor market ready in a shorter timeframe. Students in the AI program come from marginalized communities and tend to have degrees in other industries. However, in order for community college AI program graduates to succeed, there are challenges that need to be addressed, such as the bias against community college graduates, graduate job placement & displacement, faculty enablement, and the speed at which community college systems operate to create these new technology credentialing programs (certificates and degrees).
The number one question I get from stakeholders, educators, and students is, “What are blue-collar AI jobs?” and “How do we get those jobs?” Traditionally, blue-collar jobs referred to manual labor such as construction, manufacturing, and maintenance work. However, AI systems are taking on repetitive, physically demanding, or hazardous roles, allowing human workers to engage in more intricate tasks — this is where the term “blue-collar AI” comes in, these are roles that do not require the individual to have deep data science skills, be a researcher, or to build complex algorithms. “Blue-collar AI” professionals work within existing AI Infrastructures maintaining, integrating, using, and optimizing these systems.
As AI begins to change several industry jobs, we will see more “blue-collar AI” roles appear. Here are a few examples:
- AI Maintenance Worker: Similar to traditional maintenance workers, AI Maintenance Workers are responsible for the upkeep and repair of AI systems. These workers don’t require a bachelor’s degree, instead, they need specialized training in AI diagnostics and repair.
- AI Assembly Line Worker: In manufacturing factories, AI Assembly Line Workers perform repetitive tasks with extreme precision. The training for this role focuses on programming and operating AI systems, not a traditional four-year degree.
- AI Construction Worker: These AI systems operate heavy machinery with high precision and work in hazardous conditions. Training programs for this role focus on safety protocols and the operation of AI-enabled machinery.
- AI Warehouse Operator: AI Warehouse Operators efficiently sort, pack, and ship goods in warehouses. They don’t need a bachelor’s degree, but specialized training in inventory management and AI systems operation is necessary.
- AI Farmhand: In agriculture, AI Farmhands plant, tend, and harvest crops with extraordinary speed and accuracy. Rather than a formal degree, these workers need training in agricultural AI technologies.
The importance of these AI roles cannot be overstated. They contribute to increased efficiency, reduced human error, improved worker safety, and foster innovation and advancement by allowing human workers to focus on more complex tasks.
If you’re interested in specific job titles, I got you covered. In 2022, I began tracking roles that would fall in the “blue-collar AI” category. Here’s my short personal list:
- Product Engineer
- Data Labeling Quality Specialist
- Market Operations Analyst
- Business Analyst, Data Analyst
- Program Manager
- Product Manager, Data Analyst
- Data Science Specialist
- Systems Operator
- Marketing Specialist
- Content Writer
- Financial Analyst
- Trade Agent
- HR Specialist
- Recruiter
- Health Care Systems Specialist
As AI continues to mature and society continues to adopt this rapidly changing technology, we will see new roles enter the workforce while others will be replaced or deprecated. The rise of “blue-collar AI” jobs is changing the game for community colleges in the US! AI is taking over various industries, and community colleges have the chance to be the driving force behind a diverse and skilled workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The best part? These programs are affordable and accessible, so anyone from marginalized communities can kickstart a rewarding career without needing a fancy four-year degree. Community colleges are going to shape the future by matching what employers want and what job seekers need. Let’s embrace this AI revolution and invest in these programs to create a resilient and talented workforce that can thrive in Industry 4.0.
I leave you with a short list of community colleges offering AI course works and full credentialing programs:
Kenndey-King College (City Colleges Chicago)
Northern Virginia Community College
