SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Nov. 4, 2026) - Researchers at the University of Illinois Springfield are exploring how human-centered artificial intelligence can help Illinois residents navigate career opportunities. Their proposed Pathways Illinois collaboration would connect information about jobs, training, credentials and support services into clear, practical career pathways.

Dr. Peng Kang and Dr. Hei-Chi Chan of UIS joined Dr. Tahmid Rashid of Illinois State University at the 2026 Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) Conference, held Oct. 22-23 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. They presented “From Fragmented Resources to Sustainable Careers: Human-Centered AI for Illinois Workforce Pathways.”

The presentation outlined a proposed collaboration among UIS, Illinois State University and community partner Cultivation Institute. Pathways Illinois aims to help residents and workforce professionals make sense of information spread across separate resources, with guidance grounded in trusted local sources.

A career pathway can involve several connected decisions: which opportunities to pursue, what training or credentials are required and which support services can help. The project would organize those connections so residents can identify practical next steps toward their goals.

The team’s proposed approach combines multilingual AI support with human review. Residents and workforce professionals would help shape the design, bringing their experience with local opportunities and barriers into the development process. This human-centered approach is intended to make the guidance understandable and relevant to the people using it, while keeping human judgment part of the process.

Kang is an assistant professor of computer science, and Chan is an associate professor of mathematics at UIS.