Des Moines Area Community College announced Monday it has joined the National Applied AI Consortium’s (NAAIC) mentorship program, which provides training and guidance for community colleges and companies on the development and growth of AI professionals. The program is a collaboration led by Miami Dade College, Houston Community College and Maricopa County Community College District, a news release said. “We were one of three community colleges in the nation to receive this recognition. More than 30 institutions applied to join the consortium,” said Anne Power, DMACC’s executive academic dean for business and information technology, in a prepared statement. “This takes DMACC another step toward our goal of becoming one of the nation’s premier AI institutions.” In September, DMACC announced a partnership with the Intel AI for Workforce program to offer AI-focused courses. The community college has started to offer non-credit introductory courses on AI and plans to launch a certificate and associate of applied science program in AI starting in fall 2025.