Open source software thrives when people can learn it, use it, and build real careers with it. That’s why education has become a critical part of how Automattic invests in the open web—and why we’re proud to partner with the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) to make a donation to UIC Tech Solutions Open Source Fund.
The UIC Tech Solutions Open Source Fund is focused on advancing digital accessibility and AI literacy through open source systems. Its first initiative, AI Leaders, is the nation’s first workforce-focused AI literacy course, which is designed to connect open source learning directly to real jobs.
AI Leaders is not a traditional academic course and not a bootcamp. It’s a workforce-first program that teaches AI literacy through execution. Students learn how to evaluate, apply, and work responsibly with generative AI by building WordPress-powered projects that reflect how modern teams actually work. This is hands-on learning, grounded in real tools and real expectations.
Participants earn a WordPress micro-credential and become eligible for job placement. Students are paid for their time in the program, reinforcing that this is workforce development—not unpaid training or speculative credentialing.
This initiative represents a step toward establishing WordPress as an industry-based credential aligned with measurable workforce outcomes. If successful, this opens the door to a broader portfolio of WordPress-aligned credentials tied to recognized standards and real employment pathways.
We hope that our support will help grow the WordPress contributor base, position WordPress as a platform for applied AI work, introduce WordPress to younger generations, develop a credential framework, and create sustainable models that support the long-term health of the open source ecosystem.
This initiative brings together academia, AI, and the open source community by design. UIC is leading curriculum development, cohort management, and student onboarding and delivery, with oversight from the WordPress Foundation—ensuring the program is accessible, rigorous, and rooted in public benefit.
At Automattic, we believe open source delivers its greatest impact when it leads to tangible products and economic opportunity. Investing in programs like AI Leaders is how we help ensure the future of AI—and the web itself—remains open, accessible, and shaped by everyday people.
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