TECHNOLOGY
AMPLIFYING HUMAN POTENTIAL
How is the cloud disrupting the workforce? Is creativity the new superpower? These were key themes debated at the recent Bett Show, the UK’s largest education and technology event, reports Ledetta Asfa-Wossen.
A
s the world becomes increasingly connected, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and cloud computing have become
indispensable tools and understanding the tech that enables applications is fast becoming fundamental to every industry. Cloud and distributed computing skills
have been rated as the most sought-after ‘hard skill’ by employers for the past four years in a row, according to LinkedIn. Only being topped in 2020 by Blockchain and surpassing analytical reasoning and AI. As demand for cloud skills rises, so does the need for global business communities to build effective pipelines that drive economic growth and opportunity.
WHAT ARE CLOUD SKILLS? With an inherent belief that the future of work is the cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is working with organisations to develop workforce strategies that bring together stakeholders from multiple sectors to build pathways into cloud jobs across entire regions, states and countries. “We are in the midst of a fourth
industrial revolution that is driven by the cloud and advanced services such as IoT [the Internet of Things], robotics, AI and machine learning, and it is changing
Image courtesy of Bett
the means of production and disrupting the workforce,” explains AWS worldwide education director, Ken Eisner. “When we look at cloud computing we
define these job opportunities into four different families. The first is software development – from DevOps engineering to mobile app development and so on. The second is cloud architecture; third is the whole data world, from AI to analytics and machine learning; and lastly is the operations field, including cloud support to cybersecurity. AWS Educate was created to address this [skills gap].” But the cloud and all its associated
disruption don’t simply require IT skills, notes Mr Eisner. “The future of learning needs to be hands-on to meet this trend. We need more people with practical and real-world skills. It is not about making more consumers – we need to make our students creators.” “The future of learning relies on new
competencies from a communication perspective, not just passive ones. We need to learn to tackle problems and deal with ambiguity. How to invent and simplify, encouraging invention along the way. Do we really reward people enough for taking risks? We have to encourage our students and employees to really think big.” Learning also has to be lifelong, adds
Mr Eisner. “Everybody says this, but it has to be more than lip service. We have to embed that curiosity. Education, as a result, has to become more modular. We need to also think about how we deliver a modular education and work with an adaptable pedagogy. We are not workers and we are not students – we are always learners and collaboration between industry and education is going to be more and more important in the future.”
HYBRID INTELLIGENCE This year’s Bett Show – which brings together education, technology, people and ideas – was held in January at the ExCeL London. Microsoft gave a keynote speech on Hybrid Intelligences – Amplifying Human Potential and led with new research that examined what teachers would need in the classroom of 2030. Leila Toplic, emerging technologies initiative lead at NGO NetHope, explored technologies that are widening access and empowering educators, staff and students to accelerate their impact and transform the world. During the session, Microsoft explored
how machines can work with humans as creative partners: with machines offering efficiency and fabrication, and humans a tactile craft process, muscle memory and invention to build solutions for pressing issues. “There has never been a better time to be a student or a teacher,” said Ms Toplic. “Technology is not a silver bullet, but it can be a powerful equaliser.” Ms Toplic discussed topics from medical
advances in cancer treatment to water purification and how AI-enabled devices and chatbots are creating humanitarian and educational benefits. “[People] require more access to meaningful work and need to be inspired to lead change in communities and be active participants and creators, regardless of who and where they are.” An Arabic and English chatbot called
Hakeem – a collaboration between NetHope, Microsoft and others – uses AI and cloud tools in rural regions to provide the right skills training, from language and entrepreneurship to coding. Yet there are just as many critics of
cloud computing, AI and machine learning in education and the workplace as there are advocates. There is also concern that leading tech companies have a vested interest in reinforcing the value of advanced
32 | RELOCATE | SPRING 2020
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