B.CREATIVE CHALLENGE SHORTLIST

TomorrON

Team: Fernanda Pugliero, Ivan Jimenez, Pooja Gianchandani
tomorrON_logo

Introduction

The world is faced with a unique paradox. In the labor intensive economies – example China, India and Brazil – 1 in 10 Graduates is unemployable. Companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, Tesla, Siemens are investing billions of dollars annually in disruptive technologies making many existing ones obsolete. A by-product of this fast pace development is that “Learning on the Job” will never stop. The skill gaps will more become an information gap. As Robots will start to interface with Humans on the shop floor and workplace – workforce dynamics will evolve in unprecedented ways. Technology will disrupt the existing jobs and create new jobs which did not exist before. For example: 65% of kids in the US will end up in jobs that have not been invented today!

Technology has made it easier for students to access knowledge and skills through MOOCS, online education, digital classes and many more creative innovations. Educationists and Qualification experts struggle to make education labour market relevant. Some common questions that are heard at all education and training fora are : How do we keep pace with designing Education that is relevant and futuristic? What technological advancements will shape the Industrial processes? How do we bridge the education to employment gap?

It comes as no surprise that investing in education and training is a global priority. The European Union, for instance, has launched a New Skills Agenda which is working with its member states to prepare economies for Industry 4.0. The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations are addressing this as national priority. An integral part of these programs is engaging the young people – in jobs or at University – who are often disengaged and unaware about new careers and work opportunities. Many such initiatives exist but are often focused on niche sectors, immediate manpower needs of companies or limited political agendas.

We are a 7 billion people strong world. More than 62% of the population in emerging markets is young and in productive working age group of 18 – 40 years. More and more people need access to knowledge, skills, technology, finance to be able to secure successful futures. It calls for creating a revolutionary, cross-sectoral, multi-dimensional initiative to create a platform of fora that will take this predictive knowledge on education, skills, jobs and careers to the people.

Concept

The project TomorrON is inspired by the common belief of its founders – humanizing technology. It is a firm believer that an international network of young professionals will be crucial to create a smoother transition into the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ the world will be seeing sooner than later. Inspired by this idea our Project aims at addressing the information gap (‘the unknown’) and creating a bridge between the Employers and prospective Employees.

Unlike a routine classroom coaching, online self-learning or technology led tutoring, TomorrON is a blended model of learning. Designed in the format of a Workshop and Roadshow which makes it more interactive it takes the participants into the predictive, futuristic world of new skills, jobs and careers.

The TomorrOn workshops open a new world for a young student in school starting to think of his/her career. They provide the young university undergraduate an access to what companies are looking for in future employees. They provide access to new technologies, questions about careers, new skills and jobs. They create a safe environment where young people can be inquisitive and can once again experiment.

Each TomorrON workshop is a highly customized, cross-sectoral and in partnership with multiple stakeholders that are currently engaged in disruptive innovation. These are not just Career fairs or Digital classes. These are highly specialized, closed group sessions with the Masters in each field to allow the young minds to experience innovation and invention from their eyes.

Key activities

In the early stages we are looking at partners from three key industries that will shape the future economies and require maximum tech ready manpower:

  • Healthcare: Will add more than 6.5 million jobs by 2020, 80% will be filled by those with post-secondary qualifications and specialized training. It is also estimated that 90 million low skilled jobs will become redundant by then.
  • Construction: Fueled by urbanization, globalization, infrastructure renewal and the burgeoning needs of developing “megacities,” construction in emerging markets is expected to double within a decade and will become a $6.7 trillion business by 2020, accounting for some 55 percent of global construction output.
  • Information, Communication Technology: In Australia, there has been 5% growth in the number of ICT professionals, with an increase to 600,000 ICT workers in 2014, and demand for a further 100,000 workers over the next six years. Despite the demand, the number of graduates with ICT qualifications has declined significantly since early 2000s.

Each TomorrON session will be customized for a “Trade/Job Role” which is predicted as a skill trend by the best Researchers, Academicians and Employers in the Industry. The sessions are conducted at the school, university and company level and are typically sector specific. The differentiators of these sessions are:

  • Masterclasses: With the leading influencers: Scientists, Researchers, Masters of Trade, CEOs of Companies who play an important role on both demand and supply side.
  • Creative Fests: Giving young people, especially from school and colleges, an opportunity to try a trade. At these fests we will display a moving exhibition, TomorrON Lab and many other areas where art, science and industry will collaborate. Each fest will be a celebration of technology and skills for future.
  • Blended Learning Classes: Taking a step ahead as these workshops will evolve, we will partner with the best in each sector to launch learning modules which will allow interested people to start building their skills in the true spirit of TomorrON.

About the team

Fernanda Pugliero – the ideator / creative mind – is a Brazilian journalist and geographer, currently living in Berlin, where she researches about the Future of Journalism in the Digital Age, sponsored by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

For more than 8 years she has led Media, Press/Online, Television and Radio, initiatives for top media groups in Brazil, Canada and Germany. She has worked as a News Producer Coordinator for the Correio do Povo one of the oldest active newspaper in Brazil. She has been an integral part of Startup Chile in 2011, mentoring startups with media and communication advice.

Fernanda is a Graduate in Social Communication from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil, 2008). She holds a double B.A in Geography from University of Porto (Portugal, 2012) and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil, 2016).

Ivan Jimenez – the design thinker – is an Architect and Designer with specialization in construction management. He has professional and academic experience from Germany, Spain, France, Chile, Mexico and the United States.

Presently he is a visiting researcher at the Institute for Computational Design and Construction as a 2016/2017 Alexander von Humboldt German Chancellor Fellow. His research looks into Advanced Fabrication Processes with a Focus on Robotics in Architecture and Building at a Large Scale.

Prior to this, Ivan worked at a Design-Build Collaborative, where he acted as the project architect and construction superintendent for several high-end residential projects. Ivan is also Co-Founder of Aora. Space, which connects local start-ups to institutions and citizens worldwide. He was recipient of the Hines Fellowship to work for Enric Miralles/Benetta Tagliabue-EMBT in Barcelona, Spain. While working in Chile for Fluxá & Haas Arquitectos, he formed part of the restoration team for Chile’s second biggest stadium. He was also awarded with the Hispanic Association for Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Internship Program, where he worked for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in collaboration with NBBJ Architects. He practiced in Stuttgart at SFP Architekten, collaborating with the Bosch’s global hub for research and development and participated in a master plan intervention to reactivate Egon Eirmann’s IBM Headquarter Campus.

Ivan graduated from University of Houston with a Bachelor of Architecture, B.S. in Environmental Design along with a Construction Management minor (12/2013).

Pooja Gianchandani – the implementer – is an International Skills Development Consultant with exposure of delivering B2B and G2G programs in South Asia, West Africa, Europe and Pacific regions.

She has passionately pursued her ‘Skills for All’ mission working to aggregate stakeholders and designing impactful solutions for more than 12 years in India. Presently she is working with the Ministry of Education, Germany to research aspects of Investing in Vocational Education as a Guest Scientist.

She has served as the Director & Head for Skills Development at the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), India’s apex Industry chamber providing policy and business advice. At IL&FS Education & Skills, India’s leading education service company she was responsible for Policy, Communication & International Business.

Pooja possess a post graduate degree in Social Work from the prestigious Delhi School of Social Work, she has also been awarded the Power 30 under 30 honor by the Apex Society US.