Sikeston's Chamber of Commerce already treats workforce development as an economic-development priority, with existing relationships across local schools, SEMO, Three Rivers, and programs like SOAR. What's been missing locally is a hands-on, in-person path into AI and software systems work that doesn't require leaving the region or waiting for a college curriculum to catch up.
AutoNateAI's youth pathway is built for students who already have some coding experience and want to go further: designing data models and APIs, directing AI coding agents responsibly, and building a real system for a real local organization instead of another isolated class project. It's a two-week, in-person cohort, not a semester-long commitment, so it fits alongside school.
The bar for entry is a free on-ramp: four self-paced digital courses that teach JavaScript fundamentals, prompt and context engineering, and databases before a student ever sets foot in the cohort. A student, or a parent asking on their behalf, can try the material for free first and see if it's a fit before paying anything.