Hampshire County commissioners on Tuesday heard an update on a county-supported AI apprenticeship in which two local apprentices are building four software “agents” intended for business bookings, EMS protocol access, local resource matching and tourism itinerary recommendations.

The update came from Leanne Wiecki of Lend 2 Solutions, who said the 12-week apprenticeship began in September and funds apprentices for 10 hours per week; the company covers most program costs while the commission funded the apprentices’ paid time. Commissioners asked about program continuation, certification and links to regional colleges.

Why it matters: the county-funded portion of the program is intended to pilot digital services that might reduce staff time on routine tasks, make it easier for residents and visitors to find county resources, and test human-centered, offline-capable tools for first responders.

Wiecki introduced the two apprentices, Jordan Gray and Desiree Guthrie, and described the selection and training process. The apprentices completed staged interviews, a short assignment on prompt engineering, reference checks and a six-week halfway check-in. Both indicated interest in extending the apprenticeship into the optional spring term.

Project scope and status

- Booking bot for businesses: Jordan Gray is developing a booking-agent button that businesses (through the county Chamber of Commerce) can add to websites to let customers schedule services without back-and-forth email. Wiecki compared it conceptually to a Calendly-style integration but tailored for local businesses.

- EMS voice-search protocol: After meeting with county EMS (Darren Hamrick), the team pivoted from a public alert concept to a voice-activated, edge-capable search of statewide EMS protocols. The tool is intended to let frontline EMS personnel query the correct protocol section by voice on a phone without requiring an internet connection.

- Local resource matching agent: Desiree Guthrie is building an agent to help residents find the correct county office or community resource (for example, what to bring when paying taxes) and to filter search results by need and eligibility.

- Tourism itinerary recommender: Working with the county’s Convention & Visitors Bureau (Tina Ladd), the apprentices are building a recommender that suggests local sites and multi-day itineraries to lengthen stays and direct visitors to county businesses.

Training, deliverables and next steps

Wiecki said apprentices are learning Python and basic AI development, have produced UML workflows, pseudo-code and early Python prototypes. She noted that prototype code is roughly 10% of a finished, deployable product; the remaining work requires cybersecurity review, placement decisions, user experience design, and reporting and monitoring plans.

Commissioner questions and staff context

Commissioners praised the selection process and the apprentices’ progress. They pressed for a plan for continuation beyond the current funded term and asked whether academic partners could offer micro-certification. Wiecki said she has been in touch with Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College and is pursuing contacts with West Virginia University for neuroscience-based coaching and human-centered AI design. She also said the company is exploring federal and private grants to expand cohorts.

Commissioners discussed practical rollout issues: integrating agents with county websites and IT systems, outreach to businesses, and whether the county would need to help with deployment and promotion. Commissioner Mance suggested adding a question about quantifying potential tax or economic benefits when evaluating future expansions.

What commissioners directed

No formal vote was taken on the apprenticeship at this meeting. Commissioners asked staff to factor the pilot into future IT/website modernization planning and requested an update when the apprentices complete the current term and present ROI metrics and deployment plans.

Ending

Wiecki and the apprentices said they planned to finish the current term in December and report back; both apprentices had expressed interest in continuing into the optional spring extension if funding and grant opportunities allow.