Toledo AI Week Opens With Free AI Career Training as Demand for AI Skills Soars

Phil Greenberg and Payal Thakur from JobsOhio joined Zack Huhn from ETA and Matthew Versaggi from the White House for a keynote fireside chat about American Innovation in AI at Great Lakes AI Week

Mayor proclaims Toledo AI Week for a second year as Great Lakes AI Week offers Ohioans free AI Ready Ohio certification while AI-skilled jobs pay a 62% premium

TOLEDO, OH, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz has proclaimed this week "Toledo AI Week" for the second consecutive year as Great Lakes AI Week opens today at Bowling Green State University, offering Northwest Ohio workers, students and job seekers free, hands-on AI training and certification at a moment when AI skills are reshaping careers and pay.

Jobs that require AI skills now advertise an average 62% wage premium and are growing almost eight times faster than the overall job market, according to PwC's 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer. Yet while 89% of workers say they already use AI on the job, only about one in three have received AI training from their employer, according to a 2026 Study.com survey. Great Lakes AI Week is built to close that gap.

Produced by the Enterprise Technology Association (ETA), with JobsOhio as Headline Partner and Bowling Green State University (BGSU) and The University of Toledo (UT) as host partners, Great Lakes AI Week brings together 120+ speakers, university presidents, employers and community leaders through November 12. Attendees have access to workshops each day, and attendance earns credit toward AI Ready Ohio certificates, with a goal of training and certifying 1,000+ Ohioans this week.

"AI skills pay, and most workers are being asked to use AI without ever being trained on it. Toledo AI Week puts free, practical training in front of anyone who wants it, whether you're starting your career, changing careers or leading a team. We're grateful to Mayor Kapszukiewicz, JobsOhio, BGSU and UT for making it possible," said Zack Huhn, Chief SuperIntelligence Officer of the Enterprise Technology Association.

A path from first prompt to AI leadership

AI Ready Ohio certificates stack as skills grow, and all three are free for attendees:

- AI Explorer (2 credit hours): foundational AI literacy, prompting and responsible use
- AI Empowered Professional (4 credit hours): applying AI in everyday work, from operations and marketing to engineering, finance and HR
- AI Empowered Leader (8 credit hours): strategy and governance for people leading AI adoption

After the event, Ohioans can keep building skills with free online courses at aireadyohio.org. Next year the program is expected to expand with certifications focused on tool-based, role-based, and industry-based applied learning.

Three days, three ways to build AI skills this week

- Tuesday, November 10: Great Lakes AI Leadership Summit, BGSU Bowen-Thompson Student Union, 806 Ridge St., Bowling Green. For leaders and managers guiding teams through AI. Opens with a presidential welcome from BGSU President Rodney Rogers and remarks from Provost Ravi Krovi on AI and the future of learning, followed by JobsOhio's Elise Meyers and sessions on AI governance, higher education, the AI economy and manufacturing.

- Wednesday, November 11: AI Week Community Day, One SeaGate, downtown Toledo (12:00 to 5:00 PM, with virtual sessions from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM). For residents, job seekers, students and small business owners. Hands-on AI Ready Ohio workshops, office hours, a live AI coding session with Toledo Codes and an "Ask the AI Builders Anything" session.

- Thursday, November 12: AI for Business Summit, Lancelot Thompson Student Union, The University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo. Opens with the Women in AI and Business Breakfast, followed by remarks from UT President Dr. James Holloway, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and JobsOhio's Chris Abrams, and sessions on AI in defense, engineering, healthcare and manufacturing with leaders from Microsoft, IMEG, Crown Battery, UT Health and more.

Presidents and leaders from other Ohio universities are speaking and taking part across all three days.

Where AI Ready Ohio began

Northwest Ohio is where AI Ready Ohio began. The statewide training and certification initiative, powered by JobsOhio and ETA, launched as a pilot at Great Lakes AI Week 2025. It has since expanded to Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and online, and thousands of Ohioans have earned AI credentials. This year's Great Lakes AI Week brings that work back to Toledo and Bowling Green.

Great Lakes AI Week 2026 is supported by JobsOhio, Huntington, The Andersons, Bowling Green State University, The University of Toledo, Nexigen, Big Kitty Labs, Actual Reality Technologies, EmpoweredAI, FBT Gibbons and SSOE, as well as community partners and sponsors from around the state.

Attend

Registration is open at greatlakesaiweek.com. Free community passes and student tickets are available, and the public can save 50% on tickets with code AIReady. Media are welcome at all public sessions; to request credentials or schedule interviews, contact Zack Huhn at zack@joineta.org.

About Great Lakes AI Week

Great Lakes AI Week is part of AI Week: The Fastest-Growing AI Event Series in America. AI Week, produced by Enterprise Technology Association. Learn more at greatlakesaiweek.com.

About the Enterprise Technology Association (ETA)

The Enterprise Technology Association (ETA) is the national leader in AI and emerging technology adoption. ETA equips leaders, organizations, and regions with the just-in-time education, enablement, and trusted connections they need to thrive. Learn more at joineta.org.

About AI Ready Ohio

AI Ready Ohio is America's first AI Ready State initiative, a free statewide AI training and certification program powered by JobsOhio and ETA and supported by Ohio's universities and a coalition of community partners. Learn more at aireadyohio.org.

About JobsOhio

JobsOhio, Ohio's private nonprofit economic development corporation, enhances company growth and personnel development through business attraction, retention, and expansion across 10 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 Dayton Development Coalition, Lake to River Economic Development, Ohio Southeast Economic Development, One Columbus, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership, and Team NEO, JobsOhio delivers world-class customer service to provide companies with a competitive advantage. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com.

Zack Huhn
Enterprise Technology Association
+1 813-220-4057
zack@joineta.org

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