Friday, June 26, 2020

New EdTech venture aims to get people thinking proactively about their career

Remember when FinTech wasn’t even a thing? Online payments and budgeting tools had been around for decades but the stagnant and inward-looking finance industry was slow to cotton-on to how much emerging tech could do for individuals, organizations, and the economy at large. Fast-forward fifteen years and FinTech has transformed the finance industry from the outside-in and is now one of the hottest sectors to work in. FinTech made finance cool again because it made it relevant, personal, and accessible. We’ve seen the disruption and digitization of finance, healthcare, and the media industry. Now—it’s time for education to join the party. EdTech – educational technology – is on the cusp of its own coming of age story. We’ve seen the disruption and digitization of finance, healthcare, and the media industry. Now—it’s time for education to join the party. Benjamin Vedrenne-Cloquet, the co-founder of EdTech Europe says: â€Å"EdTech has the power to create efficiencies, cut costs, and enable new levels of standardization and democratized access. It is set to transform the future of how education is resourced, taught, consumed and, ultimately, the results that it can then yield – both for the individual and for society as a whole.† This is a space Hult has been involved with from the get-go, and EdTech initiatives within Hult that have been a long time in the works are starting to take shape. One such initiative is Career Mapper, a first-of-its-kind tool that uses big data to help users think proactively about their career, identify the skills they need for their next move, and help them find the right educational resources to achieve their goals. We spoke to the intrapreneurs spearheading the development of this tool, Oliver Thomas and Christian Jonsson, to find out more about them, the platform, and where they see the future of EdTech going. Christian Jonsson (left) and Oliver Thomas (right) discuss user experience options with Front End Developer, Stephen Bryson (center) You guys both have entrepreneurial backgrounds, can you tell me about your journey so far?    Oliver: I trained in economic science, first in Argentina, where I’m from, and then in Germany. I started my career as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in Buenos Aires and New York and then as a consultant at Bain Co. I worked all over Latin America and in Nigeria and South Africa before starting a HealthTech startup in London in 2015. It was a big leap for me, from a very corporate world into entrepreneurship. Hiring people, managing a tech team, getting so involved in technology – it was a tough one! Christian: I’m from Sweden originally and after graduating high school, me and a couple of friends founded a private tutoring company. After two-three years of working in the education sector with my startup, I realized I probably needed to get an education myself! So I went to university to study industrial engineering and management and got my degree while continuing to work with my tutoring startup. After graduating and having spent seven years building the business, I was ready for my next challenge. That’s when I found Hult and Oliver approached me to work on developing Career Mapper. What drew you to the tech and startup world? Oliver: It was a combination of many things. But from a product perspective, I was only in my 20s and yet I had seen things that didn’t exist become central to people’s lives almost overnight. I was a huge consumer of products that started out as startups and become huge conglomerates. Everybody now is – iPhones, Google, all of that. It was mind-blowing to me how quickly it all happened. And I thought: I don’t want to miss out on this. I want to be a part of creating value, of creating new things. I thought: I don’t want to miss out on this. I want to be a part of creating value, of creating new things. Christian: For me, it’s about finding new ways to add to my vision of a better future and a better world. Every new venture, every new collaboration is one more step on that journey and opens up new paths to achieving that vision. How did you move into the EdTech space? Oliver: My first encounter with education technology was actually with my HealthTech business. We ran webinars for our clients to give them more information about new scientific developments. There was a huge appetite for this and it became clear to me then how much people were craving relevant, accessible education. It was then I realized how big the opportunity in EdTech could be. My personal experience showed me just how needed this kind of ongoing access to education is when you change career. And these days people are changing careers four or five times in their lifetime. Even if you stay in the same field, technology is advancing things at such a fast pace, you need constantly update your skill set. Why is EdTech an exciting sector? What’s so special about it? Oliver: There are a couple of sectors that are really life changing in terms of the role they play in people’s lives and how people think about their short- and long-term future. One is of course healthcare, that is so fundamental to your quality of life and affects every aspect of it. And the second is education, being an investment in yourself and in your future. There are a few products that have been developed but the potential is huge and it’s only just starting to be realized. With all the developments in technology over the last 20 years, we now have the capability to reach huge numbers of people to deliver them a quality of education that they’ve never had access to before – for economic, or geographical, or social reasons. That’s the huge opportunity in front of us right now. There are a few products that have been developed but the potential is huge and it’s only just starting to be realized. So why did you decide to develop the Career Mapper concept rather than starting your own EdTech venture?    Oliver: I met members of Hult’s leadership team when I was looking for senior talent for my startup and that was how I heard about the EdTech initiatives they were developing at EF Education First in collaboration with Hult. I was really excited to work within an organization that had world-class competencies in-house to develop something that addressed a consumer need that hadn’t been addressed yet. Christian: I was being mentored by Hult’s President, Stephen Hodges, when Oliver approached me about developing Career Mapper. I saw it had huge potential. We have the opportunity to reach millions of people all over the world and deliver personal, data-driven career guidance and advice. How have you found being intrapreneurs, innovating within an existing organization – rather than owning and running your own business? Oliver: You can only be an intrapreneur in organizations that foster innovation as part of their culture. Here, you are encouraged to explore new things and given the space to take initiatives forward. As well as having the support of specialist resources that, as an entrepreneur, would take many months and many miles and much persuading to find. What need is Career Mapper addressing for users?    Oliver: There are so many options now when it comes to education, more courses in more subjects and more formats available than ever before. What’s missing is advice. There’s no guidance about which courses will address which skill gaps, which courses are right for you at different stages in your career, or which courses are going to help you achieve specific career goals, long and short term. Christian: That’s where Career Mapper comes in: to help people think proactively about where they want to be in 5,10,20 years time, identify the skills they need to achieve their career goals, and guide them through all their education options. Oliver: People don’t tend to sit down and think: ok, where am I at in my career, what skills do I already have, what role do I want next, and where do I want to be in the long term. Even getting people to take 10 minutes to think about their career goals is beneficial to helping them make informed choices about their education. Those goals will change over time, of course, but it’s good to keep coming back and checking in: ok, where am at right now and where do I want to get to. Employers are looking for candidates that have the skills for the job, and education is starting to focus more on skill building. Christian: It also reflects the move towards skills-based employment and skills-based education. Employers are looking for candidates that have the skills for the job, and education is starting to focus more on skill building. Career Mapper asks you to select the skills you already have, and then maps those to your short and long term career goals. It then provides you with education options to build the skills you don’t currently have for the roles you’re aiming for. So where are you at in the development of Career Mapper? What can users expect? Oliver: We’ve done a lot of work on taking the huge data-analysis capabilities of the tool and turning it into a simple, meaningful experience for the user. What we want to do now is involve users themselves in the development of the tool. We’ve released a BETA version of Career Mapper so we can see how people are using the tool and get their input on how we can improve it to better meet their needs. Christian: We’re working with big-data and that means standardizing hundreds of data items into widely known, easily recognizable terms. We want to see how that works for a global audience and get real-time insights into the user’s behavior and needs so we can further refine the data we serve to users in a way that is most valuable to them. Test Career Mapper now Laura Chung Laura Chung is a staff blogger and Hult's Creative Content Director. Previously a senior copywriter in PayPal’s Worldwide Creative Studio, she has also written and designed online training courses for executives at many well-known brands including Microsoft, Redbull, KPMG, and BT. Laura believes passionately in the power of storytelling in both marketing and learning and indulges her love of stories by writing creatively in her spare time. Related posts Academics Beyond (narrow) business concepts: â€Å"Soft† skills turn out to be critical skills News Building success: Dual Degree students win at USASBE Community How going beyond business at Hult helped me launch my company Admissions Accepted Students Weekend: A weekend to remember Careers Career mapping: How to become an executive in the next 5 years 0 Thought leadership How to prepare for an uncertain future in a world of AI Instagram Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .