This idea of equitable economic recovery is critical right now, especially. The story cites data that shows from February through August 2020, the number of workers who lost their jobs permanently due to COVID-19 rose by 2.1 million to 3.4 million — an over 60% increase.

The author identified Louisville as a benchmark city for equitable recovery, looking at Humana’s role specifically, and a partnership the company has with other community organizations, including the University of Louisville. As one of the city’s largest employers, Humana and the health insurance sector at large have been less impacted by the pandemic than other industries. Conversely, the company represents a sector of the economy that is still growing and, therefore, building in-demand skills.

Technology is Louisville’s fastest-growing job sector, Humana SVP Roger Cude told the publication, which is driving local business leaders to increasingly adopt a “digital-first mindset.”

“But like other communities, Louisville-area businesses are struggling to find qualified applicants for those jobs,” he said, adding that the pandemic is “creating new and unexpected challenges and accelerating the imperative for businesses to evolve.”

Simply put, there is a greater need than ever for digital and analytical skills. This is where FutureLou comes in. The coalition entails private, public and academic leaders in the region, including the University of Louisville. These players are combining resources to “create a future-ready local workforce through training and development in high-demand data science skills and capabilities,” Cude explained.

Notably, that training is free for Louisville residents.

“The goal of the����initiative is to provide a pathway for displaced or underemployed workers to upskill into industry-aligned careers that provide stability and resilience during this period of disruption. By providing both financial support and job search guidance, we’re reducing the barriers to reskilling for digital jobs and helping Louisville residents earn credentials that will have high demand now and for the future,” Cude said.

The program is a partnership between Microsoft and Louisville Metro Government, in tandem with the General Assembly, Kentuckiana Works and a virtual “micro-campus” team.

Also as part of this effort, website became a strategic partner in Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s 30-day Data Upskilling Challenge Initiative earlier this year. The program encouraged residents to access free online, self-paced, data skills training through a COVID-19-related effort by the city’s Future of Work Initiative, also powered by Microsoft.

This isn’t the only “future-proofing” effort UofL is involved in to advance the city of Louisville and its equitable recovery.��

Last year, the university teamed up with The Humana Foundation and Interapt to bring a paid, immersive training program that teaches high-demand IT skills to the underemployed and unemployed in the community. The program, called “,” provided individuals with the opportunity to build the technical, business and life skills necessary to work in fast-paced, high-tech environment, preparing them to launch promising careers in the tech industry.

Interapt’s training program has been called “a national model of creating next-generation opportunity.” The Louisville Skills program marks the first time Interapt partnered with a major university.

Also last year, UofL became part of a new Artificial Intelligence Innovation Consortium, an alliance that also includes Amazon Web Services, GE Appliances, Amgen, V-Soft Consulting and other companies. This alliance is the first-of-its-kind for the city.��

, UofL received a nearly $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to build a program that prepares students for the ever-evolving, technology-enabled “jobs of tomorrow.” ​The UofL Modern Apprenticeship Pathways to Success (MAPS) program is funded through the DoL’s “” initiative. UofL was one of just 28 public-private partnerships funded under this federal program in its most recent round, and is the only one in Kentucky.

Finally, last year, UofL and IBM announced a partnership that includes the establishment of an IBM Skills Academy focused on digital learning and technology skills. Like Interapt’s initiative, this skills academy is the first of its kind that IBM has developed with a higher education institution.

Specifically, the academy will provide curriculum and educational tools concentrated on eight fast-growing technology areas: artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing, internet of things, quantum computing, data science and design thinking.

It is estimated that over 120 million jobs will be affected within the next three years by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and upskilling through these areas is more important.

These examples are just the tip of the iceberg of what UofL is focused on, or plans to focus on in the near term. One of UofL’s identified “,” for example, is “engineering our future economy.” This means, in part, honing our research to focus on developing and harnessing technological advancements for the digital and robotic transformation of the workforce.

As President Neeli Bendapudi said when the IBM partnership was announced:��“It is important for us to be nimble with this, to be truly transformative, to say, ‘We see what’s coming, how can we be proactive?’”��

The program, called “Louisville Skills,” will provide up to 25 individuals the opportunity to build the technical, business and life skills necessary to work in a fast-paced, high-tech environment, preparing them to launch promising careers in the tech industry.

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The Humana Foundation has earmarked $325,000 for the project, which will be targeted to residents in Louisville Metro, particularly in West Louisville.

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“By addressing social determinants of health, or the conditions under which people are born, grow, live, work and age that impact overall health and well-being, we can make Louisville a more appealing place for everyone,” said Walter D. Woods, CEO of The Humana Foundation. “It’s exciting to see two local organizations collaborating and partnering to provide education and improve the financial outcomes of historically marginalized adults in Louisville’s West End.”

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Interapt’s training program has been called “a national model of creating next-generation opportunity” and graduates have worked for and with companies such as Humana, Kindred, NetSmart, Elavon, Accenture, GE, Chase, El Toro and Eagle6. Through Interapt’s Registered Apprenticeship model with the U.S. Department of Labor, top graduates have seen their earnings potential increase to $90,000 just three years out of the program.

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This is Interapt’s first partnership with a major university.

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“Our goal is to improve the financial outcomes of the participants, helping both themselves and their families,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “UofL will perform rigorous outreach to find participants who have been historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. This innovative and forward-thinking partnership demonstrates our unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion in our community.”

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The training will be taught at UofL’s Hite Art Institute in West Louisville and will include foundational software programming concepts and software development skills. To ease the burden for students, they will receive a stipend of $100 per week during the program.

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“Companies across the world are realizing that investing in skills and human capital is a cost-effective way to create new, high-wage jobs in the community while solving a major technology talent shortage. We are excited to start this partnership and create new and innovative pathways with the University of Louisville,” said Ankur Gopal, founder and CEO of Interapt.

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Each year, companies are unable to fill thousands of new openings in the tech industry through traditional hiring practices. Gopal said the UofL and Interapt Louisville Skills initiative will help develop the next generation of workers and provide an innovative alternative to solving this talent shortage.

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