PBSC President Ava Parker joins Palm Beach County education leaders to chart AI-ready workforce

At the “2025 Back to School: Workforce Readiness Breakfast” hosted by the Chamber of the Palm Beaches at the Kravis Center on August 5, educators, business leaders, and school principals gathered to discuss a pressing question: how can local employers and educators collaborate to ensure Palm Beach County’s students are ready for a rapidly changing workplace dominated by artificial intelligence and technological innovation?

 

Erica Whitfield, Palm Beach County School Board Member and the event moderator, welcomed more than two hundred local business leaders and school principals, noting the critical role of such partnerships in driving community progress. “We are entering a world where interacting with computers is becoming as simple as having a conversation," Whitfield told the packed room. "With the rise of natural language programming, you no longer need to know how to code. That shift will fundamentally change how we run businesses, design systems, and educate people.”

 

For Whitfield, closing the gap between the region's 31,000 open jobs and 27,000 unemployed workers will mean a renewed focus on aligning skills and readiness. “No one can build the future of talent alone. It takes us all through partnership,” she said, also revealing that her own remarks had been crafted with the help of AI.

 

Each panelist was invited to share what new course they would dream up for a future-ready curriculum.  Palm Beach State College President Ava L. Parker, JD proposed a “Fact Check, Fake Check” course, pointing to information literacy as a vital new skill. “There’s so much out there," Parker said, "and everyone tends to believe something once they see it. If we could help students understand what's real and what's fake, that would be incredibly valuable for everyone in this room.”

 

Keiser University President Jennifer Illes offered her idea: “The Invisible Advantage—Culture Shaping Strategy.” Her imaginary class, she explained, would focus on how organizational culture drives behavior and success. “You don’t influence culture. Culture drives behavior, helps decisions, and builds trust. The culture is you,” she said.  J. Nathan Green, Vice Chancellor for Government & Community Relations at Vanderbilt University, agreed, emphasizing the urgent need for building critical thinkers. “If you’re not ready and willing to learn, you’re going to be left behind,” he said. “Soft skills is such a huge label, but it’s really, really important today: adaptability, the ability to communicate, and being a part of something bigger than yourself.”

 

As AI tools become ubiquitous in schools, Whitfield posed a challenging question—how to keep students thinking critically even as technology becomes more capable. “This is crucial for our high school students—not just relying on technology, but also preparing for an increasingly tech world,” said Michael J. Burke, Superintendent of Palm Beach County Schools. He pointed out the district’s pioneering use of tools like Khanmigo and ServiceNow, while maintaining that “using AI responsibly is now non-negotiable—we have to embrace it.” While Illes described a new Keiser University assignment using AI to write an essay, then requiring students to critique its work—blending technological exposure with higher-order thinking.

 

Panelists repeatedly returned to the theme of partnership between educators and local industry. Parker shared how PBSC has ramped up efforts to hear directly from businesses about workforce needs. “Our ears are bigger than our mouths,” she quipped. “We want to hear from business leaders so we can train students to be job-ready from day one.” With 80% of her college’s graduates preferring to stay in the county, she asked, “Isn’t it a better use of your resources to work with us to grow our own?”

 

Green pointed to the business sector’s role as a partner and driver of curriculum. “Let’s not build curriculum around jobs needed today," he urged, "but for jobs five or ten years from now. That’s the sign of a growing community.”

Burke spotlighted Palm Beach’s robust “choice programs,” which pair students with local employers for hands-on experience with real-world technology. “That’s ensuring our students get access to the cutting edge. We need the business community to keep telling us where the gaps are.”

 

When asked which job tasks they would hand over to AI and which should stay human, panelists agreed that AI belongs with repetitive and analytical tasks, while personal milestones and leadership—like celebrating graduations and mentoring students—must remain human domains. “AI can continue to write letters and analyze data," Parker said with a smile, "but I’ll never give up shaking the hand of a first-generation graduate.”

 

As for supporting workforce development, the panelists’ closing advice for local leaders was clear: “Provide more internships,” said Illes. “Join a business partnership council,” Parker urged. The breakfast closed with a shared sense of urgency—and optimism—that Palm Beach County, through partnership and innovation, can lead the way in preparing students for the future that is already arriving.