AI4ALL’s Changemaking Alumni Get a Firsthand Look at Prudential Data Careers
Prudential Financial hosts Career Exploration Day for AI4ALL alumni; Prudential CMO Naveen Agarwal joins AI4ALL Advisory Board
Hands-on learning for future leaders in AI
After high school students graduate from AI4ALL summer camps, 77% report wanting to pursue a career in artificial intelligence. The next big question for students is: what kind of AI careers are the best fit for them? AI4ALL partners like Prudential Financial provide AI4ALL alumni with crucial exposure and hands-on experience with AI applications in different industries.
On a recent Thursday morning, a group of high school-aged AI4ALL alumni gathered at Prudential’s Headquarters in Newark, NJ, for a Career Exploration Day. Career exploration experiences are a key component to AI4ALL’s work to change who can be a leader in AI. In addition to early exposure to technical concepts that students gain through AI4ALL summer programs, AI4ALL’s Changemakers in AI alumni program connects students with relatable role models and mentors and gives students access to networks, knowledge, and experiences that prepare them for AI internships and careers.
The AI4ALL Changemakers benefited from a full day of learning directly from leaders and data scientists at Prudential. Naveen Agarwal, Prudential Chief Marketing Officer, taught the students about the history and vision of the company, which has been named one of the world’s most ethical companies for five consecutive years. David Goldberg, VP and Head of Data Analytics described the formation of the Data Science team and shared insights on the team’s work and experience as data scientists, while students also enjoyed a Prudential-themed Jeopardy game and received tips on resumes and interviewing skills.
A favorite for the students was the one-on-one mentoring session where each student was paired with a Prudential data scientist. Students sat with data scientists at their desks, got to see real projects the data scientists work on — ranging from personalization to fraud detection to predictive underwriting — and had the opportunity to learn about how AI tools and techniques can be used in a Fortune 100 company setting. In talking about how much they enjoyed the session, one student noted, “I could really see the data scientists’ passion.”
The students were incredibly grateful for the time that the Prudential team spent with them. One student shared that they found the day and their newfound knowledge about the insurance industry, “very interesting, and very complicated. I didn’t know much about how insurance worked before today.” Another student shared that they found the interviewing tips particularly useful, “especially that it’s okay to acknowledge that you don’t know something [the interviewer is asking you about].”
Prudential is a key corporate sponsor for AI4ALL, and earlier this year we announced their generous support of AI4ALL’s Changemakers in AI program in the form of a $1 million grant. Read more about Prudential’s support of AI4ALL here.
Naveen Agarwal joins AI4ALL advisory board
AI4ALL is also pleased to announce that Prudential’s Chief Marketing Officer, Naveen Agarwal, has joined AI4ALL’s Advisory Board, a group of industry and nonprofit leaders who provide insight and strategic guidance to AI4ALL’s leadership. Agarwal brings considerable experience in leading global brands and customer engagement in the financial services, energy, and healthcare spaces.
“The world around us is hugely benefiting from data, and AI is key to leveraging data. Talent of the future needs to be AI savvy. Prudential’s purpose is to make life better for our changing world, and data and AI will help meaningfully enable that purpose,” Agarwal noted. “We at Prudential are proud to partner with AI4ALL and support their mission. When I met with the AI4ALL Changemakers we hosted at Prudential, it was inspiring to see young minds thinking of large financial and societal problems of our country. I am confident Prudential’s ongoing partnerships with AI4ALL will empower diverse talent to find a purpose and create impact for society at large.”
Agarwal joins the Advisory Board alongside existing members from organizations and companies including Autodesk, EY, Harvey Mudd College, the Kapor Center, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and more.
Learn more about AI4ALL here.
