AI Ready Ohio — Enterprise Technology Association & JobsOhio
JobsOhio
Enterprise Technology Association
Workforce Upskilling Initiative

AI Ready
Ohio

From AI Curious to AI Capable — Building Ohio's AI-Ready Workforce

AI Ready Ohio is a statewide education, enablement, and ecosystem building initiative powered by Enterprise Technology Association, JobsOhio, and a coalition of community partners — delivering in-person, virtual, and cohort-based AI training and certification programming across Ohio's major regions and beyond.

Get AI Certified → Partner With Us
Founding Program Partners
JobsOhio
State Economic Development Lead
ETA
Training & Program Delivery

Launched at Great Lakes AI Week 2025 with 500+ Ohioans earning AI certificates. Expanding to Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo in 2026.

500+
Ohioans Trained at Launch
3
Ohio Regions Expanding in 2026
7+
Training & University Partners
50
State Expansion Model
About the Initiative

Ohio Is Leading
America's AI Workforce Transition

AI Ready Ohio is a statewide education, enablement, and ecosystem building initiative powered by Enterprise Technology Association, JobsOhio, and a coalition of community partners. It was designed to close the gap between Ohio's rapidly growing AI economy and the workforce skills needed to compete in it — pairing economic development investment with on-the-ground training, nationally recognized certifications, and a network of local delivery partners that meets professionals where they are.

What works in Ohio is the model for the nation. Every program, credential, and partnership built here is designed to scale — giving other states a proven playbook for building AI-ready workforces at regional scale.

In-Person
Conference & Workshop Training
Hands-on AI training delivered at AI Week events across Ohio — Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, and Great Lakes. Certificate-eligible workshops run alongside conference programming.
  • Cincy AI Week — June 9–11, 2026
  • Columbus AI Week — September 8–10, 2026
  • Great Lakes AI Week — November 10–12, 2026
  • Workshops at Future Tech Forum events
Virtual
Online Certification Pathways
Flexible, self-paced and live virtual training accessible to any Ohio professional — from AI fundamentals to advanced practitioner credentials through the ETA community portal.
  • On-demand AI literacy modules
  • Live virtual masterclasses and workshops
  • Partner-led credential programs (USAII, Microsoft, more)
  • Mobile app progress tracking and credit logging
Cohort-Based
Structured Learning Cohorts
Peer-supported cohort programs for professionals and teams implementing AI — structured learning with mentorship, accountability, and direct employer connections built in.
  • National AI Accelerator cohort tracks
  • Employer-sponsored team upskilling cohorts
  • Transitioning professional and re-entry pathways
  • Workforce organization cohort partnerships
Certification Pathways

Earn Your ETA
AI Professional Credential

AI Ready Ohio training leads to recognized professional credentials — designed for every level of the workforce, from first-time AI learners to executive leaders driving organizational transformation.

1
Foundational
AI Explorer
An introduction to AI concepts, tools, and practical applications for professionals beginning their AI journey. Earn credit at any ETA workshop or AI Week session.
AI Literacy All Levels Foundational
2
Practitioner
AI Empowered Professional
For practitioners applying AI tools in their daily work — covering prompt engineering, workflow integration, AI-powered productivity, and real-world implementation skills.
Applied AI Tools Practitioner
3
Leadership
AI Empowered Leader
For managers and executives leading AI transformation — AI strategy, team enablement, governance frameworks, risk management, and organizational change leadership.
AI Strategy Leadership Governance
+
Specialized
Partner Credentials
Advanced and specialized certifications issued in partnership with USAII, NVIDIA, Microsoft, AWS, and other leading technology and certification providers.
USAII NVIDIA Microsoft AWS
How Credits Work
Credits accumulate across AI Week workshops, Future Tech Forum sessions, virtual masterclasses, and cohort programs — tracked via ETA's mobile event app. Progress carries between events until your certification pathway is complete. Credits do not expire.
Get Certified

Two Paths to Your
AI Professional Credential

Whether you're attending an AI Week event in Ohio this year or want to start building credentials online today, there's a clear path to your certification.

In-Person
Get Certified at an Ohio AI Week
The fastest path to your AI credential. Attend an AI Week conference in Ohio, participate in the afternoon certificate workshops, and earn your credential before you leave.
  • Cincy AI Week — June 9–11, 2026 in Cincinnati, OH
  • Columbus AI Week — September 8–10, 2026 in Columbus, OH
  • Great Lakes AI Week — November 10–12, 2026 in Northwest Ohio
  • All attendees qualify for workshop credit — no separate registration
  • Credits logged via the event app; credential issued upon completion
Find Your AI Week →
Online
Get Certified via the ETA Community Portal
Start building your AI credential today — online, at your own pace, with live virtual options. Access ETA's full certification library through the member portal.
  • Self-paced AI literacy and practitioner modules
  • Live virtual masterclasses with practitioner instructors
  • Partner credential programs through USAII, Microsoft, and more
  • Free for ETA Explorer members — full library for Pro and above
  • Ohio residents: ask about JobsOhio-funded access pathways
Join ETA & Start Learning →
Local Training Partners

Ohio's AI Education
Ecosystem

AI Ready Ohio is delivered through a coalition of local training organizations, universities, and community partners — each bringing deep regional relationships and specialized expertise to the program.

Training Partner
EmpoweredAI
Statewide
Training Partner
Cincy AI for Humans
Greater Cincinnati
University Partner
Bowling Green State University
Northwest Ohio — Great Lakes Region
University Partner
University of Toledo
Toledo / Great Lakes Region
University Partner
Xavier University
Greater Cincinnati
University Partner
University of Cincinnati
Greater Cincinnati
University Partner
The Ohio State University
Columbus / Statewide
Expanding
+ More Partners Coming
ETA is actively adding regional training and university partners across Ohio
Certification & Technology Partners

World-Class Partners.
Recognized Credentials.

AI Ready Ohio certifications are issued in partnership with nationally and globally recognized technology providers — ensuring every credential earned through the program carries real industry weight.

USAII
US AI Institute — global AI micro-credentials and practitioner certifications
Certification Partner
NVIDIA
Deep learning, AI deployment, and GPU technology training
Technology Partner
Microsoft
Copilot, Azure AI, and enterprise productivity certification programs
Technology Partner
AWS
Cloud AI, machine learning, and enterprise technology enablement
Technology Partner
+ More
Partner ecosystem is growing with each program expansion
Expanding
Who This Program Serves

Built for Ohio's
Full Workforce

AI Ready Ohio is designed for the full range of Ohio's working professionals — not just technologists. If you work in Ohio, this program is for you.

Business & Operations Leaders
Manufacturing & Industrial Workers
Healthcare & Life Sciences Professionals
Government & Public Sector Teams
Educators & Workforce Trainers
HR & Talent Leaders
Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners
Students & Recent Graduates
"This is what intelligent regional development looks like. JobsOhio's AI Ready Ohio initiative and our Intelligent Regions framework are aligning to connect talent, partners, and employers in every corner of the state."
— Zack Huhn, Co-Founder & National Director, Enterprise Technology Association
Get Involved

Ready to Build
Ohio's AI-Ready Workforce?

For Ohio Residents & Professionals
Get AI Certified

Start your AI certification journey today — attend an upcoming AI Week event in Ohio for in-person training, or join ETA's community portal to access virtual learning and certification pathways from anywhere in the state.

Find an AI Week in Ohio → Join ETA & Start Online →

Questions? Email [email protected]

For Employers, Organizations & Partners
Partner With AI Ready Ohio

ETA and JobsOhio are actively seeking employer partners, community organizations, and institutions interested in delivering AI training, sponsoring workforce cohorts, or participating in the AI Ready Ohio ecosystem as it expands across the state and nationally.

Inquire About Partnership →

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