August 10, 2020
CONTACT: Gregg Hibbeler
MoKan Goodwill (816) 929-9864
Artemis Initiative will put more Americans on a path toward cutting-edge careers and upward mobility
KANSAS CITY, MO – An initiative focused on ensuring people with disabilities and barriers to employment are not left behind in the 4th Industrial Revolution has taken shape.
York Exponential, a collaborative robotics and artificial intelligence company, and Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas announced the launch of the Artemis Initiative. The initiative will put the nationwide non-profit organization at the forefront of this burgeoning high-tech revolution.
“Robotics and other technology advancements are impacting how we think and react within our communities, from economic development to workforce skills and education,” said John McElligott, CEO of York Exponential “We are proud to partner with Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas to provide increased opportunities for the people they serve.”
The Artemis Initiative is designed to empower the American workforce by educating and training job seekers on robotics, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies so they are prepared for upcoming changes in the labor market. Participants will be skilled for different types of jobs, from robot technicians to training artificial intelligence algorithms, and other advanced technologies such as cybersecurity, internet of things, virtual/augmented reality, and 3D printing. The goal is to make sure people have the necessary skills for the jobs of the future.
“We are extremely excited to partner with York Exponential on helping us modernize our business by leveraging artificial intelligence and provide experiential learning opportunities in emerging technologies for the people we serve,” said Ed Lada, President and CEO of Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas. “We believe artificial intelligence and robotics will create unimagined opportunities and access to new collar, high paying jobs. This powerful partnership we have formed with John McElligott and his team will be a fantastic foundation upon which the Artemis Initiative will continue to grow and blossom.”
In the first phase of the initiative, Goodwill will be hiring Data Capture Associates to support a pilot project using computer vision machine learning within donated goods retail. York Exponential will then train these individuals, along with current Goodwill employees, to be certified to a Data Annotation Tech Level 1. This credential will prepare job seekers to join teams working with machine learning, computer vision, and artificial intelligence.
Technology is changing the workforce and will create new industries and jobs. When industrial revolutions and major economic shifts occur, the people most negatively impacted are the same people Goodwill traditionally serves. These are people with barriers to employment, including people with diverse abilities, no high school diploma, or people with a legal history. There was no proactive effort to train them for the 4th industrial revolution.
The Artemis Initiative will help ensure no one is left behind as these changes occur. It will allow for the creation of a brighter, more prosperous, and truly inclusive future as we face the challenges of what is being called the 4th Industrial Revolution. In the process, these efforts will allow for the rebuilding of the middle class, empowering the American workforce, and ensuring people can achieve their version of the American Dream.
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ABOUT YORK EXPONENTIAL
York Exponential is a robotics and artificial intelligence company. Based in York, Pennsylvania, and established in 2015, the company designs robotic products and solutions with collaborative robots at the core. The robots are designed to augment the workforce, not replace it - humans and robots working together. Learn more at www.yorkexponential.com. You can also follow our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
ABOUT GOODWILL OF WESTERN MISSOURI & EASTERN KANSAS
Founded in 1894, Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas has been providing service to our communities for more than 125 years. MOKAN Goodwill is a CARF-accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment obtain jobs, essential skills training, and personal development opportunities. With the launch of the Artemis Initiative in 2020, Goodwill is partnering with leading technology companies to train workers for the occupations of the future. Its regional retail stores and donation centers generate an annual economic impact of more than $16 million in Kansas City and its surrounding communities. As a Kansas City Industrial Council (KCIC) gold medal winner, Goodwill is also recognized as a leader in sustainability, annually diverting more than 17 million pounds of donated materials to resell, reuse or recycle. Learn more at www.mokangoodwill.org. To see all the good we do together, follow us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.
