A delegation from ColegauCymru recently travelled to Seattle, Washington, on a Taith-funded study visit to explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in further education. The week-long programme in February provided valuable insights into how AI is being integrated into teaching, learning, and workforce development in the United States.
The delegation met with several organisations, including the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, The Technology Alliance, Amazon AWS Skills Centre, the City of Seattle, Microsoft, Bellevue College and Pierce College. The visit was designed to examine AI’s impact on business and industry, its role in shaping educational programmes and apprenticeships, and the regulatory approaches taken at state, city, and institutional levels.
Key Themes from the Visit
- AI Policy and Strategy Washington State has been at the forefront of AI policy, being the fifth U.S. state to issue AI guidance. Discussions highlighted the importance of ensuring AI is used ethically and inclusively, with governance frameworks in place to manage risks and compliance.
- Employer and Skills Development Industry leaders such as Microsoft and Amazon emphasised that AI is transforming the workplace, creating a growing demand for AI-literate employees. Colleges play a crucial role in bridging this skills gap, offering AI-focused courses, apprenticeships, and professional training.
- AI in Further Education Colleges in Washington State are embedding AI into their curricula through dedicated courses and AI-enhanced teaching methods. The delegation explored innovative approaches, including AI-assisted writing assignments and a ‘traffic light system’ to guide students on appropriate AI use in coursework.
- Governance and Ethical Considerations The visit to the City of Seattle provided insights into how AI governance is managed in public services. Key takeaways included the need for human oversight in high-risk AI applications and the importance of clear guidelines to ensure AI is used responsibly.
Lessons for Wales
The study visit reinforced that, while Wales is not far behind in AI adoption, there are opportunities to:
- strengthen partnerships between further education and industry to meet evolving skills needs;
- strengthen professional learning to help AI embed best practice into teaching and to personalise learning;
- share best practices across institutions; and
- ensure AI education includes both technical and non-technical skills, such as ethics and critical thinking.
ColegauCymru Chief Executive Chief Executive, David Hagendyk, said,
“This visit has provided invaluable insights into how AI is shaping further education and industry in Washington State. There is a real opportunity for Wales to build on these learnings and ensure that our colleges are at the forefront of AI innovation and workforce development.”
The visit highlighted that while Wales faces similar challenges to Washington State, collaboration, industry engagement, and a proactive AI strategy will be key to positioning further education as a leader in AI-driven skills development.
Next Steps
ColegauCymru will build on the insights gained from the study visit by strengthening partnerships with key organisations in Seattle to foster ongoing collaboration. The key findings will be shared with colleges and policymakers in Wales to help shape AI strategy and skills development.
There will also be a focus on exploring opportunities to integrate best practice into Welsh colleges, particularly around AI governance, curriculum design, and industry partnerships.
We would like to thank Taith for funding this study visit and all the organisations that generously shared their expertise and experiences.
ColegauCymru remains committed to ensuring that further education in Wales is well-positioned to harness the potential of AI for teaching, learning, and workforce development.
Further Information
Siân Holleran, International Project Manager
Sian.Holleran@ColegauCymru.ac.uk
