Honolulu launches AI training program for O‘ahu businesses, nonprofits
Honolulu launches AI training program for O‘ahu businesses, nonprofits
Publish Date: 2026-05-22 21:39:00
Source Domain: alohastatedaily.com
A new pilot program from the City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Economic Revitalization aims to help small businesses and nonprofits on O‘ahu — and their employees — step into the technological future.
OER, in partnership with Māpunawai and Skilled Tomorrow, is set to launch “AI for Everyone at Work: Training Trainers to Teach Across Generations.” The initiative intends to help organizations on the island introduce artificial intelligence “in practical, responsible and accessible ways for a multigenerational workforce.”
According to the city, the free one-day training uses a “train-the-trainer” model that will allow organization leaders to bring AI education to their employees. Participants — who’ll commit to delivering at least two internal training sessions within six months of completing the program — will learn AI fundamentals, real-world workplace use cases, prompt-writing frameworks and strategies for teaching AI “responsibly” to older adults and multigenerational teams, a recent announcement from the city noted.
“AI Is already present in our workplace[s] across Hawai‘i and there isn’t always a clear roadmap on introduction and usage,” OER Executive Director Amy Asselbaye told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions. “Hawai‘i has one of the highest older-adult labor force participation rates, where this age group is disproportionately left out of upskilling opportunities and [this] is a gap that matters locally as folks continue to remain in the workforce past retirement age to support themselves and their ‘ohana.”
Asselbaye says that the OER team is “always ideating” ways to be more innovative in its approaches and initiatives for its programs.
Workforce Development Program Manager Su Lazo proposed the “train the trainer” framework from her expertise in the subject and findings in the workforce development sector, she noted.
“It continues our work to increase upskilling and career pathway opportunities — like our Good Jobs…
