IBM Will Invest $100M In HBCUs, Including Four In North Carolina

Computer titan IBM is planning on investing $1 million in historically Black colleges across the country. Four North Carolina HBCUs will be included in the first round of partnerships.  

IBM officials say the initiative is part of its response to George Floyd's killing in police custody and recognizes inequality in the business world.

The company will initially work with 13 HBCUs to strengthen computing skills required for jobs in the tech sector.

The funding will help provide software training and digital certifications in areas such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

The News & Observer reports four colleges in North Carolina will benefit, including N.C. A&T, the largest HBCU in the country. A&T will also participate in a separate IBM program centering on quantum computing.

Other North Carolina schools partnering with IBM include N.C. Central, Fayetteville State, and Johnson C. Smith University.

One IBM executive says the program is meant to show Black students that a career in the traditionally high-paying field of technology is possible.