This post was originally published on The Washington Informer

By Jada Ingleton

Black-owned artificial intelligence (AI) tech company Skilldora and billionaire Dr. Michael V. Roberts recently collaborated to advance technology across historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and increase Black leadership and opportunities within the workforce. 

“Skilldora takes immense pride in advancing the educational journey of HBCU students through our cutting-edge platform developments and AI Instructor-Led courses, facilitating online learning experiences that pave the way for enhanced career outcomes,” said Skilldora CEO and co-founder DeMario Mcllwain in a press release. “This partnership reinforces our commitment to providing HBCUs with a no upfront cost learning management system and readily available online certifications.”

In October 2023, the Roberts Innovation Group, created by Roberts and Curtis D. Strong Sr., announced a partnership with Skilldora to launch the innovative 2024 HBCU Initiative that would allow students to utilize the latter’s AI-instructed tools to enhance Black minds in the digital age and empower learners nationwide. 

The collaboration, which officially kicked off with Barber-Scotia College in January 2024, promises a “new era of education,” using Skilldora’s accessible certification programs specializing in AI and other emerging technologies.

“There are certain platforms that are engaging our young students and getting them involved in web technologies – gaming, cybersecurity. So why not AI? Because that is the next step,” says Carey Digsby, who oversees marketing at Skilldora. “By utilizing those same types of traits…we as African Americans can be on the cusp of something great.”

Co-founded by Mcllwain and his wife Dawn, Skilldora is recognized as the first in the United States to pioneer AI-instructed accredited courses in the e-learning market. The state-of-the-art platform and app offers continuing professional development credits for adult learners and fosters a learning environment that speaks to the potential future of the workforce and digital environment. 

As leading advocates in AI education, the couple recognizes the need to open the conversation of technological advancement to more communities, often posing the question, “How do we get this in the hands of African Americans?”

“One of the things [the founders] have constantly said [is] that ‘in order for us to be successful, we have to get out of our own way.’ We have to provide for individuals and the African American community the opportunity to learn about AI, and then to be able to then take that trade or skill to their jobs…or even teach it to other individuals,” Digsby says. 

Now, Skilldora and Roberts Innovation Group – an investment group breaking barriers and transforming education in historically marginalized communities – have teamed up to further opportunities at HBCUs by “delivering contemporary education to their student body,” as stated in their profit sharing model. 

“This partnership exemplifies our dedication to bridging the education gap and offering career opportunities in emerging technologies,” Roberts said in a press release. “We firmly believe that by equipping our communities with the right skills, we can drive meaningful change.”

Barber-Scotia College Works for Technology Modernization in Accreditation Fight 

The first institution to welcome the 2024 HBCU Initiative is Barber-Scotia College.

Originally established in 1867 for African American women in Concord, North Carolina, 157 years later, the now co-ed college is on an uphill battle to earn its accreditation back since it was officially rescinded in 2004. 

According to newly instated president Chris Rey, partnering with Skilldora was a crucial factor in laying the groundwork for the journey ahead.

“To be one of the pilot institutions to partner with Skilldora, to help them build out that technology, but also we end up growing with them…I think that we have the ability to build a world class program that is reflective of what the future is,” he says. “Skilldora is just the beginning of individuals being introduced to Barber-Scotia. We’re exploring various strategies on how we continue to magnify our brand, and put the word out there that Barber-Scotia is open and ready for students to take a chance on us.”

Barber-Scotia has offered 10 free Skilldora courses to students, with feedback proving to be “so far, so good,” according to Rey. Participants have the opportunity to enhance their relationship with technology and earn certification in a range of subjects, from entrepreneurship to personal development. With the absence of a physical instructor, the program also creates an atmosphere for scholars to strengthen their research skills. 

“We live in an age now where massive loads of information are at our fingertips. Part of what we’re trying to do is get students back into the space of not just having information fed to them, but that they are also developing other skills on researching, and getting additional information to complement [what] they’re learning,” he explains. 

Skilldora is just one of multiple academic programs being implemented within the “Phase 1 semester” of the institution’s plan to seek accreditation. 

While each initiative will serve a purpose in advancing the school’s mission, Rey is adamant about instilling a foundation of technological learning for students. In a January press release, the St. Thomas native addressed some of his desires for the futures of his students.

“I want every student who comes through our programs, whether they are in science, business, the humanities, or the arts, to have a solid grounding in technology,” the statement explains. “Our focus is to integrate digital literacy across disciplines to create responsible leaders for the [workforce’s] future, and we believe these new programs will do just that.”

Rey also emphasizes the importance of diversity in the technology sector, noting that partnerships such as this one can ensure adequate representation in future workspaces and environments where certain groups are often overlooked and underestimated. 

“You want to make sure that there’s a pipeline of Black folks that are going into those specific job fields,” Rey says. “But then on top of that, think about how technology could leave out a whole race of people if you don’t have individuals who are in the room.”

The newly minted Barber-Scotia president notes that Black people participating in AI ensures that African Americans are taken into consideration as the technology develops so that “our perspective, our culture, our way of life is included in that thought process.” 

“If you don’t show an interest, you’re going to be left out of the conversation,” the Barber-Scotia president says. “You can’t even say that this is the future. This is what’s happening right now.”

With the support of Roberts Innovation Group, Skilldora plans to forge more partnerships with HBCUs throughout 2024 and 2025. The cutting-edge platform is also in the works of creating personalized course content to be utilized and shared amongst businesses, including HR learning, compliance, and more within the public and private sectors. 

Digsby hopes that the future of Skilldora’s partnerships with HBCUs will allow Black institutions to recognize AI as a necessary tool rather than “something that is foreign to us.” 

“It’s a grassroots movement,” says Digsby. “We’re hoping that more individuals getting on there, more individuals taking the courses, learning, and then applying them will be enough to show the other [103 HBCUs]…this is something that you need to have in your school. Skilldora should be the one that you call.”

To schedule a meeting to establish a partnership agreement, visit the main website.

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