Forest Lake Area Schools Holds Summit on Artificial Intelligence As Part of Career Launch Program

In May 2024, 75% of knowledge workers said they use artificial intelligence in their daily workflows. Nearly half (46%) started using AI less than six months ago. AI has revolutionized how people work, creating demand for employees who know how to use it.

AI is also commonly found in K-12 schools. A year ago, only 37% of students said they were familiar with ChatGPT. Today, that number is 75%. Educators are trying to understand the role AI plays in the classroom, balancing the benefits with the risks.

On August 28, educators and business owners met for a summit on artificial intelligence as part of the Forest Lake Area Schools (FLAS) Career Launch program. This was an opportunity for both parties to discuss the challenges of preparing the workforce for AI and how it affects students.

The AI summit is just one event to support students in the Minnesota Technology Corridor as they prepare to choose their career paths. Learn more about this event and other programs that set students up for success. 

The AI Summit Drives Discussions Between Educators and Business Leaders

This summit is an annual event that occurs during the teacher planning periods before school starts. The topic changes each year, but the focus is always the same: fostering conversations between teachers and local business professionals. This year, more than 65 businesses from various industries will attend, representing the technology, healthcare, manufacturing, business, and agriculture fields.  

“The most valuable commodity in our area is the people,” says Mike Miron, Career Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator at FLAS. “We have the future employees of Minnesota in our schools every single day.”

This event isn’t a place for business owners to tell teachers how to do their jobs. Instead, it's a place for honest conversations about the challenges everyone is facing in the current economy. Right now, AI is both the biggest challenge and opportunity.

“AI is going to be here,” says Miron. “So, as a school system, we need to prepare to interact with it and make it as useful as possible.”  

Teachers from grades 7-12 will sit at tables intermixed with local business owners and a speaker will guide them through a series of discussion questions. The program will last for about an hour. 

Business-Teacher Meetings Are Just One Part of the Career Launch Department

The school district has several programs designed to help students learn about different industries and how to enter them. Regardless of whether a student is headed to a four-year university or entering the workforce immediately, they can benefit from the Career Launch resources at FLAS. Here are a few events and activities students participate in.

• Career Exploration Days: At least once a year, business representatives visit classrooms to discuss what they do and answer questions about their careers. Students can discover job options they might not have considered before.   
• Work-Based Learning Internships: More than three dozen students each semester receive elective credit while participating in an internship. These are often paid and have the potential for long-term employment. 
• Certification Opportunities: Students can pursue industry certifications that make them more hirable. These range from Microsoft Office certifications to Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training.  

Career programs at FLAS are meant to expose students to as many job possibilities as possible while showing them different paths to get there. They outline different paths students can take during the murky in-between period that occurs after high school but before young professionals have established their careers.

“We don’t tell families what the right thing to do is,” says Miron. “We provide education about the various options available”

Every Educator in FLAS Contributes to Student Employability 

Miron is one of the main points of contact for career development at FLAS; however, every educator plays a role in preparing students to have successful careers. The district has identified 10 employability skills that help students contribute to any workplace they enter. These are often called soft skills and include characteristics like adaptability, problem-solving, critical thinking, and clear communication. Teachers can develop lesson plans that hone these skills while covering essential parts of the core curriculum.

“The real world is changing so fast and schools have never been designed to be that nimble,” says Miron. “How do we keep up when the workforce skillset is accelerating by the day?”

The AI discussion is a perfect example of this. AI wasn’t an essential skill five years ago and no one knows how it will be used five years from now. However, students who learned how to be adaptable and approach problems creatively five years ago are prepared to embrace AI now and will be excited to use whatever tools are available in the future. 

FLAS is an Asset to the Minnesota Technology Corridor  

When businesses consider moving to an area, they look at the local workforce to confirm they will find skilled, dedicated workers to meet their needs. FLAS has career development policies that help students build concrete skills along with fundamental characteristics that make them hirable. Whatever industry or technology comes to the Minnesota Technology Corridor, Forest Lake graduates will rise to the occasion and embrace it. This is what makes the region an ideal choice for any company.

Learn more about the Minnesota Technology Corridor's assets, including location advantages like affordable utilities and a favorable tax structure. Discover why your business belongs here.