The National Applied AI Consortium (NAAIC), a national initiative led by Miami Dade College in partnership with Houston City College and Maricopa Community Colleges, announced a $2 million award from Google.org to advance its mission of training the next generation of American AI professionals through community colleges.
The funding marks a pivotal milestone for NAAIC, which in just its first year has become the nation’s foremost network for applied AI education. Launched in 2024 with support from the National Science Foundation, the consortium now serves as a national model for democratizing AI learning by giving educators across the country access to real-world AI tools, curriculum, and industry partnerships.
Through its unique community college-driven approach, NAAIC equips educators with the training and industry alignment necessary to prepare students for jobs emerging in the fast-evolving AI economy. The organization has already partnered with 320 colleges across 46 states and two U.S. territories, training over 1,000 faculty members and reaching more than 31,000 students. These educators have received 10,000 hours of AI training from major technology companies, including Microsoft, Intel, AWS, Google, and OpenAI, setting the groundwork for new AI certifications, degree programs, and workforce pathways.
The new $2 million funding from Google.org will allow NAAIC to expand its mentorship network, support professional certifications for community college and K–12 educators, and host the NAAIC AI Summit in February 2026 at Miami Dade College. This event will convene leaders from education, industry, and government to advance national dialogue around workforce readiness in the AI era.
Central to NAAIC’s philosophy is the idea that community colleges are uniquely positioned to build an inclusive AI workforce at scale. Its Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) includes leaders from Intel, AWS, Microsoft, and Jobs for the Future, who collaborate with NAAIC to align curricula with real-world employer needs. By 2027, the consortium aims to train 10,000 faculty, reach 1 million students, and launch 250 new AI academic programs through partnerships with more than 20 additional technology companies.
Industry experts have highlighted the significance of NAAIC’s work in addressing both economic competitiveness and national security. By empowering educators with practical AI knowledge and tools, the consortium is rapidly building a skilled, AI-literate workforce capable of filling critical roles across multiple sectors.
KEY QUOTES:
“In just one year, we’ve seen how community colleges can redefine who gets to participate in the AI economy. The Google.org funding amplifies that mission, giving us the ability to train more educators, mentor more colleges, and reach more students at scale.”
Antonio Delgado, Vice President of Innovation and Technology Partnerships at Miami Dade College and Executive Director of NAAIC
“NAAIC has proven that when you train teachers, you transform systems. Faculty who had never touched AI are now leading courses in machine learning and computer vision, and their students are graduating into jobs that didn’t even exist a few years ago.”
Samir Saber, Dean, Houston City College
“Learning is a deeply human process that is anchored in community, from personal moments that spark curiosity to professors who help further it. By collaborating with institutions whose work is core to these relationships, we hope to equip students with the lifelong skills they need to succeed in the AI era, from the classroom to their careers.”
Ben Gomes, Chief Technologist of Learning & Sustainability, Google
“This is an economic and national security imperative. Community colleges give the U.S. an edge by producing workforce-ready AI talent faster than universities. If we expand this effort, we don’t just compete, we lead.”
Aaron Burciaga, Founder, Blue Collar AI and NAAIC Business & Industry Leadership Team Member
“The future of work is already here. Our job is to make sure every American has a place in it.”
Antonio Delgado, Executive Director, NAAIC
