JobsOhio, Enterprise Technology Association to bring in-person and virtual AI certification training to thousands of Ohioans through partnerships with technology companies and Ohio universities
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JobsOhio today announced a major expansion of the AI Ready Ohio program, with valued partner The Enterprise Technology Association (ETA) playing a key role in the initiative’s growth. The program’s expansion extends in-person AI training to more than 3,000 people in the Greater Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo areas. Online training will be available to all residents statewide, ensuring every Ohioan has the opportunity to build critical AI skills for the modern workforce.
The AI Ready pilot program has far exceeded its original targets, surpassing its certification goals by 170% by equipping Ohioans with the AI skills needed through valued partnerships with ETA, Empowered AI, AWS, Microsoft, the University of Cincinnati and the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII). To further strengthen Ohio’s position in the AI economy, the JobsOhio Relocation Incentive helps Ohio employers expand their workforce, particularly in STEM and technical occupations, by offering direct financial incentives to attract out-of-state professionals.
AI Ready Ohio launched in November 2025 during Great Lakes AI Week at Bowling Green State University as the first AI Ready State program in the country — a model now being recognized as a blueprint for what AI Ready America can look like. AI Ready Ohio is free and open to all Ohio residents. Each event in the Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo areas is expected to train approximately 500 Ohioans.
JobsOhio’s AI Ready Ohio expansion is a centerpiece of the organization’s AI Super Sector strategy, which positions the state as the capital of America’s AI deployment. Ohio is where breakthrough technologies meet real-world industry applications at unprecedented speed and scale.
Unlike states competing on R&D alone, Ohio differentiates itself by offering AI companies and their enterprise customers what they need most to scale: a diversified $928 billion economy with first-adopter customers across healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace and defense, logistics, agriculture and financial services; the second-lowest cost of doing business in the United States; the nation’s second-ranked infrastructure; and an AI-capable workforce of more than 600,000 STEM students and professionals.
“JobsOhio is committed to ensuring Ohio has the talent, infrastructure and momentum to win in the AI economy,” said JobsOhio Managing Director of Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Payal Thakur. “Training our people, equipping our business leaders and empowering our regional communities are all examples of how we can leverage the AI Ready Ohio program to better serve Ohioans.”
“To scale successfully, AI companies need three things: customers ready to adopt new technologies, cost-effective environments to grow and talent capable of deploying AI across real-world applications, not just developing it. Ohio delivers all three,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “By expanding this program statewide, we’re closing the AI skills gap and building the workforce that will power intelligent factories, connected hospitals and the next generation of defense systems.”
AI Ready Ohio provides three certification tracks through ETA designed to meet professionals at every level of AI fluency: AI Explorer, for those building foundational AI literacy; AI Empowered Professional, for individuals integrating AI into day-to-day work; and AI Empowered Leader, for executives and decision-makers driving AI strategy within their organizations.
The certification programs are provided in partnership with leading technology companies and Ohio universities, including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Nvidia, The Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University (BGSU), the University of Toledo, Xavier University, Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, Empowered AI, United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII), and a growing network of AI trainers.
These university partnerships complement Ohio’s broader AI talent infrastructure, which includes Ohio State’s GenAI curriculum, required for all undergraduates by 2025; BGSU’s first-in-nation interdisciplinary AI + X bachelor’s degree; and the TechCred upskilling program, enabling employers to train workers in emerging technologies.
“Our goal is to elevate Ohio’s professionals, businesses, and communities from AI Ready to AI Enabled. Expanding this successful program gives Ohioans a significant advantage,” said Zack Huhn, ETA’s cofounder and national director.
In addition to training and certification programs, AI Ready Ohio serves as a platform for convening employers and leaders statewide through roundtables and working groups to better understand and address evolving workforce needs, challenges, and opportunities. The annual “Cincy AI Week” will be held June 9-11, 2026, at Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati, continuing the community conversation about how the city and state will grow and thrive.
“The national conversation has shifted, and making America AI-ready is no longer aspirational; it’s urgent. AI Ready Ohio is building a blueprint the rest of the country can put into practice,” said Summer Crenshaw, ETA’s co-founder and CEO.
Ohio’s Integrated AI Strategy
AI Ready Ohio is one pillar of JobsOhio’s comprehensive approach to building the AI economy in Ohio, which spans three coordinated areas of focus:
- AI Business Attraction: Recruiting high-growth AI companies in applications, services, model hubs, physical AI, and robotics, building on Ohio’s strength in cloud infrastructure and data centers and significant investments from SoftBank/OpenAI ($3 billion in Youngstown), Intel ($20+ billion), Vultr ($1 billion) and other MAG7 technology companies.
- Ohio Business AI Consulting: Closing the enterprise adoption gap — currently, fewer than 20% of Ohio companies have adopted AI — through thousands of business retention and expansion engagements annually that help Ohio employers integrate AI into their operations.
- AI Workforce Development: Scaling AI literacy, certification, apprenticeship and university programs that prepare Ohioans for high-wage AI careers and reverse brain drain by keeping STEM talent in the state.
For more information on AI Ready Ohio and to sign up, visit the program’s website.
About the Enterprise Technology Association (ETA)
The ETA is a national organization dedicated to AI education, training, and ecosystem building. Communities outside Silicon Valley will succeed in the AI economy by building on their own industrial strengths, community assets, and talent networks. ETA works to ensure people are equipped to thrive in the AI-driven economy through programs like AI Ready Ohio, the National AI Accelerator, and the US AI Congress. Learn more at www.joineta.org.
About JobsOhio
JobsOhio, Ohio’s private nonprofit economic development corporation, enhances company growth and personnel development through business attraction, retention, and expansion across ten competitive industry sectors. With a team of seasoned professionals, JobsOhio utilizes a comprehensive network to foster talent production in targeted industries and attract talent through Find Your Ohio. Collaborating with seven regional partners, including the Regional Growth Partnership, JobsOhio delivers world-class customer service to provide companies with a competitive advantage. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com.
SOURCE Enterprise Technology Association and JobsOhio
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