Hired for What, Exactly? AI, Education, & the Workforce SC is Building

Google's 7-state AI education lead joins us in Greenville for a panel on closing the gap between what schools teach & tomorrow's workforce A recent survey found only 14% of college graduates say they've reached proficiency applying AI tools in a professional setting. South Carolina isn't standing still. The Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, backed by a multi-year Google investment, is training teachers statewide, running an AI Educator Program, and building curriculum for K-12 classrooms across the state. Demand is climbing fast in tech. Outside of it, most employers are still deciding what AI skills are worth hiring for, or whether they need them at all. The harder question is what comes next. If AI is absorbing entry-level work, the training ladder most organizations relied on doesn't work the same anymore. The path from repetitive tasks to judgment calls to leadership is compressing. Professional services, manufacturing, insurance, technology, same problem, and a few organizations are already rebuilding that path deliberately. So what are we preparing students for, and what will employers be asking for by the time they graduate? Panelists Include: Lilyn Hester | Regional Lead, Community and Workforce Development, Google Spearheading Google's regional AI education across seven states. Partners directly with local school districts and institutions like GSSM to fund digital literacy, bring cross-state insights to local leaders, and drive workforce readiness. Danny Dorsel | President, SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building the infrastructure for AI education across South Carolina, from training the state's first cohort of AI Faculty Fellows to putting curriculum and professional development into the hands of K-12 teachers in 27 counties. Paula Fulghum | Founder & President, InnovateHR Sitting inside hiring across dozens of small and mid-size businesses in 38 states, she sees what employers are putting on job descriptions long before it shows up in national survey data, and where AI skills are showing up in hiring conversations. Moderated by: Doug Kim, IP Attorney & Founder, Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm. SCHEDULE Check-in: 4:30 pm Discussion + Q&A: 4:45 pm-5:30 pm Networking: 5:30-6:30 pm **Light bites and drinks provided Interested in sponsoring AI in Education? Put your organization in front of corporate leaders, educators and founders deciding how AI fits into how they hire and teach. View Sponsorship Opportunities → Sign up for the i4Series bi-weekly newsletter to be the first to know about upcoming events! About i4 Series Greenville's business conversation for people who build things - connecting entrepreneurs, operators, and innovators across the Upstate. Innovation • Intelligence • Industry • Involvement