According to Dr. Aaron Duvall, director of workforce development at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, two out of every three jobs will be exposed to AI as it continues to become normalized in daily tasks. Rather than resulting in fewer jobs, he sees the rise of AI reimagining the way people work altogether.

鈥淲ithin the next four years, over 60% of jobs will have job task changes 鈥� not layoffs, but a reimagining of the way work is being done,鈥� Duvall said. 鈥淚n that case, it鈥檚 interesting that half the people in the workforce right now have had zero AI training in the past year. It creates a big gap.鈥�

Employers want their employees to have AI skills as they enter the workforce, and experts such as Dr. Duvall and 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Tech Entrepreneur-in-Residence Marla Johnson see these skills as a necessity in today鈥檚 constantly evolving technical landscape. Through new training initiatives, industry partnerships, and hands-on events for students, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is working to ensure graduates are prepared to work in an AI-driven economy.

AI tools are already helping businesses streamline everyday work. Tasks that once required hours of manual effort 鈥� such as compiling reports, analyzing data, or summarizing meetings 鈥� can now be completed in minutes with AI support. Duvall said AI often changes how long tasks take rather than eliminating the work itself, allowing employees to focus on higher-level decision-making.

In her current role, Johnson works with STEM faculty and students to commercialize research and build high-growth startups. A technology entrepreneur and business leader with more than 30 years of experience in innovation and company building, she encourages students to use AI, saying they will not be as competitive candidates in the workforce if they do not know how to use these tools to their full potential. Her advice is to become an expert in how AI is used in your specific field.

鈥淚t will be a competitive disadvantage for my students if they are starting a company and they don鈥檛 know how to apply AI toward their market research or pitch presentation development, for example,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 specifically teach my students prompts to use and ways to utilize AI in order to develop ideas into an actual business plan.鈥�

Being workforce ready has taken on a whole new meaning in this AI-driven economy. Entering the job market now requires the skills and knowledge not only to use AI as a support tool but also to support business needs. 

鈥淲e have to move from fear to fluency with AI,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭he limits of what these tools can do are really your clarity of thinking and your imagination.鈥�

Duvall draws an important distinction between simply using AI tools and understanding how to apply them effectively in the workplace. While many workers are experimenting with tools like ChatGPT, far fewer know how to integrate them into real workflows or use them to improve productivity and decision-making.

Duvall said the university is working to help students acquire these skills in order to be leaders and trendsetters in AI as they enter the workforce. The skills highlighted include advanced prompting, deep research with AI, and the ability to build and use AI-powered agents to automate everyday tasks. 

Beyond preparing students, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is also working to connect AI innovation with industry and the broader community. Johnson also coordinates AI training and education programs for companies and community members and regularly hosts events and workshops that bring together students, faculty, and business leaders to explore how AI can be applied to real-world challenges.

One example is the university鈥檚 鈥淐oding for Wellness鈥� AI hackathon, which brings together students from across the state to develop technology solutions focused on healthcare and wellness. During the event, students collaborate with mentors from healthcare organizations and industry partners to design applications that address real problems.

While the technology is evolving rapidly, both Duvall and Johnson emphasize that AI should be viewed as a tool that enhances human work rather than replaces it entirely. According to Johnson, critical thinking is essential to effective AI use. Users must be able to evaluate and question the information it provides, using the technology not just for answers but as a thought partner that challenges ideas and helps expand knowledge.

鈥淲orkers who use AI are going to replace workers who don鈥檛,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淐ompanies are looking for innovative, creative people who understand how these tools can help solve problems and improve processes.鈥�

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is working to ensure students graduate with the skills needed to work alongside AI rather than fear it, positioning them to lead in the workforce of the future.

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The council brings together leaders from across academic colleges and administrative units to discuss emerging workforce trends and to identify how 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock can respond through new programs, partnerships, and student opportunities.

鈥淭he primary goals of this group are to discuss emerging workforce trends in each of our respective colleges, departments, and units and how our Workforce Development Center鈥攁nd the university as a whole鈥攃an respond to them,鈥� said Dr. Aaron Duvall, executive director of workforce development. 鈥淚 envision this council as a space to brainstorm, collaborate, and stay informed, especially since workforce development can鈥檛 occur in silos.鈥�

Located in the Reynolds Business Building, the Workforce Development Center is home to the offices of Study Abroad, University Career Services, Extended Education, and Concurrent Enrollment. The center is focused on streamlining processes across these units while advancing several key priorities:

• Examining prior learning assessment across the university
• Tracking workforce data
• Expanding internship opportunities for students
• Developing new certificate programs
• Ensuring students have ample career opportunities after graduation
• Working to upskill employees throughout central Arkansas

With this approach, the center will support lifelong learners – from concurrent enrollment students as young as 14 to professionals seeking to reskill and upskill later in their careers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to join colleagues across campus in serving on this council,鈥� said Dr. David White, director of the Survey Research Center at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淚鈥檓 eager to explore how the Survey Research Center can help shape evidence-based solutions to real-world challenges and foster positive change in our community.鈥�

The Workforce Development Center Council includes representatives from every college and major administrative area:

• Dr. Ahmed Abu Halimeh, interim chair of the Department of Computer Science and interim director of the Emerging Analytics Center
• Dr. Ann Bain, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost
• Dr. Melvin Beavers, interim associate vice chancellor for academic affairs
• Dr. Mike Cavanaugh, director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology
• Dr. Laura Danforth, co-director of the School of Social Work
• Dr. Aaron Duvall, executive director of workforce development
• Marla Johnson, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 tech-entrepreneur-in-residence
• Dr. Barclay Key, chair of the Department of History
• Dr. Matt Matusiak, associate dean in the College of Business, Health, and Human Services
• Dr. Derek Slagle, director of the School of Public Affairs
• Diana Snyder, assistant dean for career services at the William H. Bowen School of Law
• Fairah Solomon, associate professor of nursing
• Kiel Thorlton, director of the School of Mass Communication
• Dr. Anne Turner, assistant professor in Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering
• Thomas Wallace, coordinator of the Web Design and Development and Information Technology programs
• Dr. David White, director of the Survey Research Center

The council will serve as a hub for collaboration across campus, helping 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock strengthen connections with industry partners while ensuring students are prepared to succeed in today鈥檚 dynamic job market.

鈥淯ltimately, from concurrent enrollment to extended education, we have a unique opportunity to support learners from ages 14 to 100,鈥� Duvall said. 鈥淭his council is an important step toward ensuring 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock continues to meet the needs of both students and employers in central Arkansas and beyond.鈥�

Members of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock community and the public who wish to share ideas or provide feedback on workforce development efforts are encouraged to contact Dr. Aaron Duvall at aduvall@ualr.edu.

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The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees approved the new center during its Sept. 26 meeting. Housed within the Office of Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Ann Bain, the Workforce Development Center brings together four existing units 鈥� Concurrent Enrollment, Corporate and Community Education, Study Abroad, and University Career Services 鈥� under one strategic umbrella. The goal is to enhance collaboration, optimize resources, and align the university鈥檚 efforts with state and regional workforce priorities.

鈥淭he Workforce Development Center gives us the unique opportunity to support learners from age 14 through retirement,鈥� said Dr. Aaron Duvall, executive director of workforce development, who leads the new center. 鈥淥ur mission is to equip students and professionals with the skills and credentials that employers are seeking while helping companies across Arkansas upskill their workforce. We want to start by actually listening to business and industry leaders in our community and design programs and certifications that they value and need. Workforce development cannot happen in silos.鈥�

The Workforce Development Center will serve as a central hub for aligning academic programs with non-credit courses and expanding opportunities for learners. Among its priorities are:

路   Expanding non-credit workforce pathways through Corporate and Community Education

路   Developing new certificates of proficiency that meet industry needs

路   Increasing internship opportunities through University Career Services

路 聽 Broadening career and technical education opportunities for high school students through Corporate and Community Education

路   Creating tools for workforce data collection and assessment

路   Evaluating prior learning assessment across the university

路   Expanding global workforce experiences, such as global internships, through Study Abroad

路   Supporting grant writing for workforce-related initiatives

Provost Bain said the creation of the center reflects 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 commitment to both student success and Arkansas鈥檚 economic vitality.

鈥淭his center is about more than connecting students with jobs,鈥� Bain said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about strengthening Arkansas鈥檚 economy by preparing graduates to meet workforce demands, supporting employers in developing their talent pipelines, and creating opportunities that benefit entire communities.鈥�

The Workforce Development Center will build upon the success of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Corporate Partnerships Program, which offers employees of partner companies a 10 percent tuition scholarship, a $25-per-credit-hour book scholarship, and a waived application fee. This fall alone, the program has seen nearly 475 enrollments from 130 corporate partners. Since 2022, more than 1,500 students have participated, generating an estimated financial impact of nearly $5 million.

The Workforce Development Center will also house the newly formed Workforce Development Center Council, a group of faculty, staff, and administrators from across the university. The council will meet regularly to share insights on workforce trends in their fields, ensuring the center鈥檚 initiatives remain responsive to changing needs in the state and region.

By uniting these efforts under one umbrella, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is positioned to help students succeed in their careers while supporting businesses and industries with the talent and training they need to grow.

鈥淭his is a space for collaboration,鈥� Duvall said. 鈥淲hether you鈥檙e a student, alumni, or employer, we want to work together to make sure 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is providing the right pathways for Arkansas鈥檚 workforce now and in the future.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock invites community members, alumni, employers, and industry leaders to partner in shaping the future of workforce development in Arkansas. Those interested in sharing ideas, identifying workforce needs, or exploring partnership opportunities are encouraged to contact Duvall at aduvall@ualr.edu.

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