We should be teaching people how to use technology, not criticise them for using it

Modernity can be frightening, however, this challenge is a new educational opportunity for each and every one of us.

The future of employment and education is rapidly changing as technology continues to advance. It’s more important than ever to adapt to these changes and stay ahead of the game.

The collaboration of Cherwell College Oxford with Berkeley University of California will thus allow students to get the priceless knowledge and level of education that corresponds to the labour market of the future.

“It doesn’t matter what your capability is – anyone can be an entrepreneur”, states Ken.

Ken Singer, Managing Director of the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology at Berkeley UC, encourages the entrepreneurs and students of present to embrace flexibility in every way possible. Traditional 9-to-5 jobs are fading away as remote work continues to grow. Whether it’s a group of coworkers doing their job or enthusiastic students working on a project: diversify the team as you don’t know what the future holds. You need this variety of individuals surrounding you, one way or another.

Ken was also kind enough to shed some light on the unique collaboration between the educational establishments in focus, Cherwell College and Berkeley UC, during the Breakfast at Blenheim:

“I’m really excited to announce the relationship between Cherwell College and UC Berkeley Sutardja Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology. Every year we invite students from around the world to come study and start companies with us, and we are really excited to have students from Cherwell join that small group to become their own entrepreneur”.

A number of business and education experts gathered in an iconic Churchill Room in order to reveal and discuss the topical issues from both areas. Our exceptional experts, Ken Singer and Graham Caleb of Delti led the discussion with business about the education of future and training of students as qualified specialists in the face of uncertainty and upheaval.

To be more specific, Ken shared his thoughts on the future and technology that plays a vital part in our lives and is a helping hand for every student when it comes to completing their assignments.

As Ken told us: “At Berkeley they are teaching people how to use technology, not criticize them for using it”.

The essential point here is therefore to encourage and facilitate, to play by the rules of the modern-day game.

Ken mentions a genus of small planktonic crustaceans, Daphnia, as a perfect illustration for the need to adapt to conditions and overcome the challenges of life: “Daphnia can be both sexual and asexual, a quality which it developed with time because it’s lifespan is short and the so-called “water flee” was once in need of survival because of total extinction”. Even if one is not into Biology, the lesson here is pretty simple: the need to adapt to certain conditions, to various cultural, environmental, political, natural, and systematic shifts cannot be underestimated.

The business owners together with startup-creators have to bear in mind that if they perfectly know the product they are selling, everything goes smoothly and according to the plan — then there is no urgent need to diversify the team. However, if this is not the case, one should look for different people among the employees as nobody knows what the future holds.

Even though the crisis may be awaiting behind every corner — there is no need to panic. What is more, the essential steps to be taken include: calming down, taking a break, reorganising, looking for solutions and new ways of dealing with the trouble, this is a key to success.

A lively discussion between the business representatives during the Breakfast at Blenheim proved this to be true. Everybody was keen on knowing how to engage AI to their businesses in the era of uncertainties and absence of being able to plan anything beforehand as the above mentioned need to adapt is already among us.

Stephen Clarke, the Principal of Cherwell College Oxford, mentions: “The continuous development is a necessity of our time — the system should be restructured and students must be taught real, useful things”.

Indeed, all famous companies were born during the crisis, that is why one needs to be able to use change to one’s own advantage.

Ken Singer pays special attention to optimization: “Optimization is a game — the goal is to gamify your business in regards to the shifts that happen in the world”.

What exactly does it mean? Create competition, make everything you do engaging and enriching.

That is what Ken with his colleagues does at Berkeley, this approach is facilitated, as whether it’s just a seed of an idea or an aspiration to be an entrepreneur – the students are encouraged to take it to the next level.

Graham mentions: “Don’t be afraid to risk it all: If something doesn’t work out, you won’t have a black mark across your head saying “This guy failed”. Take advantage of every opportunity”.

Last but not least, the leading role in the sphere of AI and technology is attributed to Chat GPT which creates those new possibilities and requirements for competition.

To work actively with ChatGPT, one needs to be able to ask the right questions and know what to look for. In any case, “it’s reusing, not even recycling”, says Ken.
That is why creativity is not in danger: human intelligence is still needed to invent something new.

That is why Cherwell College Oxford is partnering up with the biggest and most modern innovation experts from all over the world to embark on a journey of lifelong learning.

Stephen mentions: “This partnership gives our students a pathway through to Berkeley University and other international universities. The focus will be on STEM subjects (the Science and Maths subjects) and then they are going to the Engineering faculty, which is focused on the AI, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The students then have an opportunity to do the degree in these disciplines. It is all about gearing students for working in the 21st century. It is completely different now. If you want to survive, you will have to keep up with the pace and the changes, these type of skills and knowledge are thus in focus of our attention.”