AIVillage Tech Institute — AI Education for Cook & Will County Youth

Free Tech & AI Training for Chicago's Underprivileged Youth

Ages 13–24 in Cook and Will Counties. No experience required. Court-approved service hours.

Our Vision: AIVillage Tech Institute bridges the technology divide by providing free AI and tech education to underprivileged youth and young adults ages 13–24 in Cook and Will Counties — creating real pathways to tech careers, industry credentials, and economic stability.

What We Teach

Our Programs

Beginner

AI Foundations

Learn what AI is, how it works, and how to use it in real life. Local LLM inference, prompt engineering, and critical evaluation of AI tools.

Intermediate

AI Building & Workflows

ComfyUI, Stable Diffusion, automated pipelines, LoRA training, and custom AI workflows. Master the tools that create AI-driven media.

All Levels

3D Printing & Digital Fab

AI-assisted 3D scanning, CAD design, and 3D printing. From digital concept to physical manufacturing prototype — powered by AI.

All Levels

Hardware & Software (A+ Prep)

PC building, repair, diagnostics, networking, and OS configuration. CompTIA A+ certification prep to launch your IT career.

Advanced

Software Development

Python fundamentals, scripting, automation, API integration, and version control. Build real software projects alongside developers.

View Full Curriculum & Roadmap

Our Students

Who We Serve

Opportunity youth and system-impacted young adults ages 13–24
Court-referred youth seeking trackable community service hours
Justice-connected youth on probation, parole, or pre-trial release
Youth in or exiting foster care and juvenile justice systems
South Side communities: Englewood, Roseland, Chatham, Auburn Gresham
West Side communities: Austin, East & West Garfield Park, North Lawndale
Suburban Cook & Will County: Harvey, Maywood, Joliet, Bolingbrook
First-generation tech career seekers with zero prior experience

100% Free to Students

Every dollar raised goes to program delivery. No fees, no tuition, no hidden costs. Zero barrier to entry.

$0 Tuition Guaranteed

Explore Student Pathways

Beyond the Classroom

Mentorship That Opens Doors

AIVillage students don't just learn from instructors — they connect with working professionals in AI, software engineering, and IT who provide real-world guidance, networking, and career perspective.

Mentors are recruited from tech companies, freelance networks, and program alumni — creating a self-sustaining pipeline of community leadership.

Monthly one-on-one sessions. Virtual or in-person. Every graduate earns a verified professional reference.

Every Student Gets a Mentor

One working professional per student. Monthly 1-on-1 sessions. Industry connections that open real career doors.

100% Cohort Coverage

How It Works

Flexible, Virtual-First Instruction

Remote-Accessible Online Courses

Live Zoom instruction reaches opportunity youth across Cook and Will counties — eliminating transportation barriers. Virtual Digital Navigator cohorts provide active peer troubleshooting.

After-School & Evening Tracks

Flexible schedules for students still in school or working. Stackable credential pathways build toward CompTIA A+ certification without interrupting school attendance.

Court-Approved Community Service

Youth on probation or diversion programs can fulfill community service requirements through AIVillage. Official documentation and direct communication with probation officers.

Community-Embedded Delivery

Host-site partnerships with libraries, community centers, and referral partners leverage existing infrastructure so funds go directly to student instruction.

Leadership

Our Board of Directors

Christopher Daniels

President

Technology professional, AI systems developer, founder of ThePuterGuy.net

Nina Flanagan

Secretary

Community advocate and organizational leader

Jan Lashea

Treasurer

Financial strategist and community development professional