The realm of AI has witnessed remarkable growth — prompting the necessity for fresh educational and instructional materials tailored for scholars and professionals within the field.
A recent on-demand webinar by NVIDIA, Vital Training and Pointers to Boost Your Progression in AI, showcased a roundtable conversation with experts from the industry discussing the cultivation of career development and learning in AI and other cutting-edge technologies.
More than 1,800 participants received valuable insights on how to jumpstart their career paths and leverage NVIDIA’s technologies and assets to hasten their career growth.
Possibilities in AI
The impact of AI is permeating nearly all sectors, unveiling new job prospects for professionals from diverse backgrounds.
Encouraging participants, Lauren Silveira, a program manager overseeing university recruitment at NVIDIA, urged individuals to harness their distinctive educational background and past experiences in the realm of AI.
“Your contributions to the AI industry are not restricted to direct involvement,” mentioned Silveira. “While I didn’t envision a career as a doctor or engineer, I found ways to create opportunities for those driven by such aspirations.”
Kevin McFall, a head teacher at the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute, shared guidance for those aspiring to navigate through AI careers and other progressive technologies amid feelings of being overwhelmed or uncertain about where to commence.
“Avoid taking on everything single-handedly,” advised McFall. “Instead of fixating on constructing everything from the ground up, being able to amalgamate code snippets or ideas from diverse sources represents a valuable skill in assembling a comprehensive solution.”
A key takeaway from the panelists underscored the immense value individuals, whether students or professionals, could add to their competencies by leveraging supplementary tools and resources in conjunction with their professional networks.
Each individual can access an array of complimentary software development kits, communal resources, and specialized instruction in fields such as robotics, CUDA, and OpenUSD through the NVIDIA Developer Program. Furthermore, they can initiate projects using the CUDA code sample library and delve into specialized guides like “An Easy Guide to Deploying Generative AI With NVIDIA NIM”.
Expanding Your Network
Keeping abreast of the rapidly expanding tech industry requires more than just keeping pace with recent educational offerings and certifications.
Sabrina Koumoin, a senior software engineer at NVIDIA, stressed the significance of networking. She believes individuals can discover like-minded peers and mentors by sharing their learning tales or projects on professional platforms like LinkedIn, thus drawing inspiration from others.
A self-taught programmer, Koumoin advocates for active participation and the approachability of educational resources. Beyond her work commitments, she has led several coding workshops to assist individuals seeking entry into the tech field.
“These initiatives aim to demonstrate that acquiring technical skills can be an engaging experience rather than an intimidating one,” she stated.
David Ajoku, the CEO and founder of Demystifyd and Aware.ai, highlighted the importance of utilizing LinkedIn to foster connections, showcase major accomplishments, and exhibit enthusiasm.
He outlined a three-step plan to enhance one’s LinkedIn presence, aiming to distinguish oneself, gain deeper insights into preferred companies, and openly share ambitions and interests:
- Contemplate a company you desire to join and the factors attracting you to it.
- Conduct thorough research focusing on its key activities, mission, and objectives.
- Be daring — craft a series of posts detailing your career journey and the development areas that captivate you within the selected organization.
An attendee inquired about the evolution of AI in the coming decade and the essential skills professionals should hone to remain relevant. Louis Stewart, heading strategic initiatives at NVIDIA, highlighted the significance of crafting a personal narrative and progression path as vital as keeping skills and certifications updated.
“Behave with intent and purpose — have a defined destination,” he added. “This methodology connects you with potential future employers and peers — a skill that demands cultivation to remain at the forefront.”
Immersion into Learning
NVIDIA provides an array of schemes and materials to equip the upcoming wave of AI professionals with the proficiencies and training required to excel in an AI-centric career.
NVIDIA’s Essential AI Learning module aims to furnish individuals with the knowledge, aptitudes, and certifications to prepare them for the dynamic AI landscape. It encompasses open access to self-paced introductory modules and webinars on themes like generative AI, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and CUDA.
The NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute (DLI) offers a diverse suite of resources, including instructional materials, self-paced and real-time teachings, and educational programs covering AI, accelerated computing, data science, graphical simulations, and more. They also provide technical seminars for students currently enrolled in academic institutions.
DLI furnishes extensive training programs on generative AI, RAG, NVIDIA NIM inference microservices, and large language models. Their offerings encompass certifications for generative AI LLMs and generative AI multimodal, enabling learners to showcase their expertise and carve out a distinct identity.
Commence your learning journey with AI Learning Essentials, explore the offerings from the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute, and tap into the array of on-demand resources.
