TLDR: Associated Bank has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Milky Way Tech Hub to launch the Associated Bank AI Academy, a six-week summer program designed to teach artificial intelligence skills, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship to middle school students in Milwaukee.
MILWAUKEE, WI – Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has announced a significant investment in the future workforce through the launch of the Associated Bank AI Academy. This innovative six-week summer program, developed in collaboration with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Milky Way Tech Hub, aims to empower middle school students with essential skills in artificial intelligence and financial literacy.
The pilot program, which commenced on July 7, will engage an initial cohort of 15 to 20 students from grades six through eight. The comprehensive curriculum is designed to provide young minds with a foundational understanding of emerging technologies and critical financial concepts. Students will delve into artificial intelligence concepts, gain hands-on experience with prompt engineering using platforms like ChatGPT, and learn the fundamentals of data science. Alongside these technological skills, the academy integrates modules on financial literacy and entrepreneurship, ensuring a holistic educational experience.
Terry L. Williams, Chief Information Officer at Associated Bank, emphasized the program’s importance, stating, “This program blends financial literacy with emerging technology to give young minds a head start in understanding how artificial intelligence will shape their ongoing education and future—and we’re proud to partner with Boys and Girls Club and Milky Way Tech Hub to bring it to Milwaukee.”
Sessions are facilitated by experts from Milky Way Tech Hub, with valuable support from Associated Bank employee volunteers. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee serve as the host and manage the on-site delivery of the program, providing a familiar and supportive environment for the students.
Nadiyah Johnson, Founder and CEO of Milky Way Tech Hub, highlighted the collaborative spirit of the initiative: “This partnership embodies what Milky Way Tech Hub stands for—equity, education and empowering future innovators. We’re thrilled to work alongside Associated Bank to provide young people with tools to build wealth and navigate the future of tech.”
Jeff Snell, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, underscored the necessity of such innovative programs: “Our youth development work at the Boys & Girls Clubs will rise or fall on our ability to innovate. Our offerings must be engaging, fun, relevant, and genuinely life changing. Otherwise, kids vote with their feet, and we lose them. Associated Bank’s AI Academy available to our members—the first such AI learning experience as a career pathway for Boys & Girls Clubs members in Wisconsin—is a perfect example, capturing young imaginations, providing a context to aspire, and then equipping them in new ways to be productive, responsible, caring citizens. We are very grateful.”
To further incentivize participation and performance, students will earn “Associated Bank Bucks,” a co-branded reward system that can be exchanged for Associated Bank merchandise and other exclusive rewards, making the learning process engaging and rewarding.
Associated Bank, headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, boasts total assets of $43 billion and operates nearly 200 banking locations across the Midwest. With a market capitalization of $3.92 billion and a robust dividend yield of 3.89%, the bank has a long-standing history of financial stability, having maintained dividend payments for 51 consecutive years, including 13 years of consecutive increases.
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The AI Academy is currently a pilot program, with plans already underway for its expansion following a successful initial run, demonstrating Associated Bank’s commitment to fostering digital skills and financial literacy among the next generation.
