I get invited to many conferences both as a speaker and delegate, and if I’m not careful I could spend my whole life as a professional conference attender.
But the last quarter of the year is usually a busy one for me as I try to attend a number of events to stimulate my thinking, reflecting and planning for the GES business for the next year and beyond. The last week has seen me attend three conferences in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with different target audiences but very consistent key themes.
The world of work is changing. This means the way we educate, train and lead must also change. But often the way governments, organisations and individuals think about education, training and leadership are not keeping pace with the changes we are experiencing.
In many countries the education system was developed for the first Industrial revolution and has been slow to respond to the changing nature of work and learning. While technology is being used to a greater extent in schools around the world, the subjects, exams and teaching methodologies have been slow to respond. As such, the system is not preparing people effectively or giving them the skills they need to transition into the world of work.
So, we have to ask ourselves why this is the case. Often system reform is avoided as it falls in the ‘too hard’ box and instead we get tweaks at the edges to grab policy headlines and to be seen doing something before the next election comes around.
For me, education is too important to play politics with.
If we are going to be true to this and future generations of young people, we must embark on a process of rethinking education and training. People everywhere should have the opportunity to develop skills that are economically valuable and allow them to drive the economies of the future and eradicate poverty whether in advanced, developing or emerging economies.
When I founded Global Education Specialists one of my aims was to stimulate discussions and debates with educationalists, business leaders, entrepreneurs and creative thinkers across the globe to improve education and access for all.
I am inviting you to join me in this mission. I intend to hold a series of events and webinars during 2019 to explore some of these issues. Please get involved and connect with me through one of the website links if you are interested in learning more about how to join the debate and help shape a better future for all.
