Students at immersive AI Camp explore career paths
Leidos, AWS and NCCU introduce students to AI careers
Why it matters
- Hands-on AI experience makes technology careers tangible.
- Early STEM access expands future career pathways.
- Industry partnerships connect learning with real-world applications.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we solve problems, make decisions, and address some of the world’s most complex challenges. Advancing AI responsibly requires more than technology alone. It requires curious, skilled innovators who can build, question and improve the systems shaping the future.
This is why Leidos partnered with North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to give the next generation of innovators firsthand experience building with AI.
Real world examples make AI careers tangible
From July 15-17, twenty rising high school juniors and seniors from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Colorado participated in an immersive AI Career Immersion summer camp on NCCU’s campus in Durham, North Carolina. The three-day program introduced students to generative AI, computer vision, and reinforcement learning through a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on projects, and conversations with technology professionals.
The goal was simple: help students see themselves not only as users of AI, but as the people who will create, improve, and responsibly advance it.
The program was developed under the leadership of Corey Hendricks, Leidos vice president of Solution Architecture and an NCCU alumnus. Working alongside NCCU faculty and AWS technical leaders, Hendricks helped create an experience that connected emerging technology concepts with real-world applications.
Our goal was for students to see that they can build the technologies shaping our future—and that companies like Leidos are eager to help them get there. Being able to work with my alma mater to help introduce these students to the possibilities of AI made this experience especially fun.
Corey Hendricks
VP, Solution Architecture, Leidos
Learning AI by building AI
Throughout the camp, students moved beyond theory and applied AI concepts through hands-on projects. They built generative AI applications using AWS PartyRock, trained autonomous racing models with AWS DeepRacer and explored how technologies such as computer vision and reinforcement learning are being used to solve complex challenges.
The experience culminated in a DeepRacer competition where students optimized their models, evaluated performance and explained their design decisions, reinforcing the importance of experimentation, critical thinking and responsible AI development.
Connecting students with real-world innovation
The camp brought together the strengths of industry and academia to give students a real-world perspective of how AI is developed and applied. NCCU faculty introduced students to the foundations of artificial intelligence and machine learning, while AWS and Leidos experts provided hands-on instruction and connected emerging technologies to real-world applications in areas such as trusted AI, cybersecurity and computer vision.
Preparing tomorrow’s workforce requires more than teaching students about artificial intelligence. It requires giving them opportunities to see themselves as creators, problem-solvers and future leaders in the field. Through partnerships with Leidos and AWS, we connected foundational learning with hands-on application, career exposure and mentorship. These experiences help students recognize that they have a place in the future of AI and can play an active role in shaping it.
Dr. Siobahn Day Grady
Founding Director of the Institute for AI and Emerging Research (IAIER)
AWS solutions architect Caleb Anthony designed the camp’s hands-on technical curriculum, developed the student instructional materials, built the cloud learning environment and led students through interactive experiences using AWS PartyRock and AWS DeepRacer.
Leidos volunteers connected classroom lessons to real-world applications and shared their career journeys, helping students understand the many pathways available in technology.
Through support from Durham Public Schools, students from the local community gained access to an immersive introduction to AI and the opportunities available in this rapidly evolving field.
Investing in the future of technology
By the end of the program, every student had built multiple AI applications, trained a custom reinforcement learning model and presented their work to peers. Each participant earned a certificate of completion and received resources to continue exploring AI beyond the camp.
The experience reflects Leidos’ commitment to expanding access to STEM education, strengthening communities and preparing the next generation of technology leaders. As part of the company’s participation in the White House’s Pledge to America’s Youth, Leidos is helping create meaningful opportunities for students to explore careers in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence.
For Leidos, the camp represents more than a successful summer program, it shows how investing in partnerships with universities, business partners and local communities can build a resilient, diverse workforce prepared to address the future’s complex challenges.
Three things to remember
- Twenty rising high school juniors and seniors built generative AI applications and trained reinforcement learning models during a three-day immersive experience.
- Leidos, North Carolina Central University, and Amazon Web Services combined academic instruction, technical expertise, and real-world applications to bring AI careers to life.
- Early access to emerging technology can expand career pathways and help build the skilled, diverse workforce needed to advance AI responsibly.
