IBM and Hispanic Heritage Foundation partner to upskill Latinos for IT careers

“I know that AI’s capabilities are soon going to be incorporated into nearly every sector of daily life, and I found it important to understand them as best as I could. I did not have a strong computer science background when I started the course, but it met me at my level and taught me about how AI functions,” says Kaufman.

AI is a big focus for the HHF, Tijerno says, pointing to data from the 2024 LDC US Latinos in Tech report, which shows that Latinos are not only early adopters of AI, but that 14% Latino-owned businesses have adopted AI, compared to only 7% of white-owned businesses. The data also revealed that Latino representation in technical AI roles grew by 59% from 2018 to 2022, compared to an increase of 26% for the overall US workforce. Additionally, by 2022, 10% of these technical roles were held by Latino workers.

Oscar Ramirez immigrated to America when he was five years old, eventually applied for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and enrolled in college. After growing up in Silicon Valley, and using the computers at the local library, Ramirez had his eye on a career in the technology industry. Unable to obtain student loans due to his immigration status, Ramirez worked full-time while attending college full-time, earning his BS in applied mathematics and computational mathematics from San Jose State University in 2023.