AI certificate gives UF graduates a competitive edge in the workforce

Employers today want candidates with AI expertise, and UF is ahead of the curve in providing students with this sought-after knowledge.

As questions surrounding the impact of AI continue to capture the public’s attention, UF’s 2020-founded AI Across the Curriculum initiative – with its lauded AI Fundamentals and Applications Certificate – is already paying off for graduates.

UF students in the program are able to integrate the ethics and fundamentals of AI into their college experience, regardless of their major. They can take more than 200 courses in AI, join AI student groups, and enroll in undergraduate and graduate programs. All of these offerings are designed to equip UF students with the tools they need to succeed in an AI-driven workforce, and graduates of the inaugural program are beginning to see the return on their investment.

Enhanced employability

Zoe Barinaga was among the first set of students to earn an AI Fundamentals and Applications Certificate at UF. She took the three required courses – an AI ethics course, a fundamentals course, and a college-specific course – before earning a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering in 2022.

As she continued her path toward becoming a medical physician (she is currently studying at KU Leuven in Leuven, Belgium), she was surprised by how often job interviewers sought her thoughts on the future of AI in medicine.

“Every single one of my interviews has been touching on that topic in some way, shape, or form, and that’s something I didn’t really expect. I wanted to integrate the certificate into my career, but I didn’t think it was going to become the talking point that it is now,” Barinaga said. “The program really helped me to develop an interest that I think would have been more difficult to develop organically just through my experiences in research, which I had alongside the certificate.”

Barinaga believes that the courses in UF’s AI certificate program show how a grasp of AI principles can be applied to any major.

“I think UF is doing a great job of making AI accessible to students who have an interest in it,” she said.

Angel Hernandez – a professional public communications specialist – said earning UF’s AI certificate helped make his post-graduation employment search successful.

While enrolled as a public relations student at UF, Hernandez took a communications-focused AI class called AI in Media and Society. The skills he gained in applying machine learning to media professions gave him the skills to train senior staff on the ethical uses of AI at a former job.

“It was definitely a great way to learn something that I found interesting,” Hernandez said. “I think the past two jobs that I got were specifically because of the certificate. The biggest draw for me was the fact that UF had a communications-specific AI course.”

The skills Hernandez gained from working toward the AI certificate have shaped his performance on the job. He thinks employers can use AI to bring out their employees’ potential and create more efficiency in the workplace.

“I’m able to sort of guide decision making in terms of what tools to implement, with the background knowledge and skill set to inform others on how they can be using AI technology,” Hernandez said. “I can’t tell you how many times employers get wide-eyed and are impressed by AI and seeing that you have the certification for it that no one else really has.”

Endless possibilities

Barinaga and Hernandez said that the AI certificate has helped get them to where they are now, and that the benefits of the program can’t be overstated.

Offering support to future AI certificate students, Hernandez emphasized the importance of really selling what an AI certification can do for your future employers.

“You have to market yourself, because it’s going to push you forward,” Hernandez said. “Create an impact and generate noticeable value. Don’t be scared to sell yourself and take on additional responsibilities like training senior staff or creating presentations. If your employer has a lunch-and-learn program, grab a slot.”

Barinaga said the possibilities for advancement in the AI industry seem limitless, thanks to her experience at UF.

“I’ve been accepted to Ivy League universities specifically because of this,” Barinaga said. “I would emphasize to students that people are interested in AI. Your future employers will be interested. Grad schools will be interested. It’s been very helpful with planning out my future.”

By Giovanni Santana

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