#201 – The Early Careers Market and its response to Covid-19

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Welcome to the latest episode of our The Voctech Podcast: learning continued series, supported by the Ufi Voctech Trust and Ufi Ventures. You can follow the conversation using #voctechpodcast and #voctech. 

What’s in this episode?

This episode looks at the early careers space and delves into the response for young people going into the world of work, amidst the pandemic. You will hear from investors, entrepreneurs and graduate interns all interested in innovation around young people, skills development and employment in the age of Covid-19.

With internships, apprenticeships, and traditional volunteering opportunities all closing down to some extent; what opportunity is there to support young people better, and through the use of technology? What is going wrong and how can the early careers market do better? Who is responsible for funding and supporting this early careers market as it evolves? We discuss this and more.

Plus,  a message from the writer of our latest blog post, Richard Pettey, ‘Advancing technology education in rural high schools across America’.

Happy listening!

People

Sophie Bailey is the Founder and Presenter of The Edtech Podcast | Twitter: @podcastedtech

Sophie is the founder of the iTunes new and noteworthy, The Edtech Podcast. The mission of The Edtech Podcast is to improve the dialogue between ‘ed’ and ‘tech’ for better innovation, through storytelling. The podcast is downloaded 2000+ times a week, from over 145 countries with the UK, US & Aus in the top 3. Sophie is a mentor and advisor within the edtech community. If she’s not interviewing a University Lecturer, School Leader, Ex-Angry Bird, NGO, or Investor about education innovation, she’s chasing her son around the park or binge-reading Homo Deus.  

Richard Male, Investor, Ufi Ventures | Twitter: @RichardMale

Investment professional with 15+ years of experience in early stage digital technology commercialisation and investment. Richard works with investors to raise & deploy capital, source new ventures and manage & support their portfolio companies. He works with founders and executive teams from pre-revenue to series A helping them build out the team, source and secure early revenue opportunities and raise capital. Richard has a passion for technology, engineering and all things motorsport. 

Nic Pillow, Venture Manager, Blackfinch Ventures & Isolation Intern | Twitter: @DrNicP

Nic is an entrepreneur and leader in B2B technology. He co-founded EdTech start-up and Software-as-a-Service business Rhizome Live, raising £400k with access to a top accelerator. Prior to that he led a global team at Nokia, managing over 15 products, responsible for revenue growth from £50 to £250m. Previously Nic held roles including Product Manager at Logica and Solution Architect at Portal Software. Nic holds a first-class degree in Engineering & Computing from Oxford University and a Ph.D. in Robotics – Computer Vision from the Robotics Research Group at Oxford University.

Lucy Griffiths, CEO and Co-Founder, Sort Your Future | Twitter: @lucygriffiths

Co-founder and CEO at Sortyourfuture.com, Founder of design-led agency ‘We Are Lucky’ (www.wearelucky.org), and Author of the Island Friends children’s book series. Board Trustee and Fellowship Councillor for Creative Learning and Development at the RSA, External Examiner at the University of Hertfordshire, Chartered Marketer, and speaker at events, conferences and workshops including TEDx.

Femi Ayibiowu, Risk Consulting Intern, KPMG, EdTech & Esports Investor, United Nations Young Innovator, Nigeria, Graduate of 2019 | Twitter: @femiayibiowu

Ayibiowu Oluwafemi is an enthusiastic young man with a passion for education, technology and financial inclusion having analytical, problem solving and people skills.

Jenna Hyde, Young Entrepreneur, careers digital and media skills support for young people | Website: www.houseofhydemedia.com 

Following the completion of her degree at the University of Nottingham, Jenna worked at a video production company which charged £4k for promotional videos. Jenna quickly realised there was a gap in the market for cheaper, quicker media productions and upskilling young people in these techniques so at the age of 25, set up House of Hyde to assist 14-18-year-olds to learn these techniques, and access digital careers advice. 

Richard Pettey, Director of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Department of Education | Twitter: @RichardPettey

Richard currently leads career and technical education (CTE) policy and initiatives, including the distribution of more than $1B in federal formula grants and the development of innovative discretionary grant projects focused on workforce development and the future of work, at the United States Department of Education. Additionally, Richard advises Secretary Betsy DeVos on all corrections and justice-involved education policy matters, including the Department’s ‘Second Chance Pell’ experiment and Pell restoration advocacy.

Beginning in fall 2020, Richard will be pursuing an MBA at Harvard Business School. 

 Quotes from this episode

References from this week’s episode

• Richard Pettey – Twitter
• Richard Pettey – LinkedIn
• US Department of Education – Twitter
• U.S. Department of Education – website
• Rural Tech Project – website
• Advancing technology education in rural high schools across America – Guest Blog Post from Richard Petty
• Richard Male – LinkedIn
• Richard Male – Twitter
• Ufi Ventures – website, homepage
• Ufi Ventures – Twitter
• 2 years of digital transformation in 2 months, Microsoft article
• Nic Pillow – LinkedIn
• Nic Pillow – Twitter
• Blackfinch Ventures – website homepage
• Blackfinch Ventures – Twitter
• Isolation Intern – homepage
• Lucy Griffiths – LinkedIn
• Lucy Griffiths – Twitter
• Sort Your Future – Twitter
• Sort Your Future – website, homepage
• Lucy Griffiths – TEDxSwansea talk
• The RSA – website, homepage
• Femi Ayibiowu – LinkedIn
• KPMG – Global website homepage
• Global Internship Programme – KPMG website
• Microsoft Education – Twitter
• Princes Trust Programmes – website page
• 140,000 UK companies apply for coronavirus job furlough scheme, Guardian article, April 2020
• Coronavirus: Rishi Sunak unveiling ‘kickstart jobs scheme’ for young people – BBC article, 8th July 2020
• Generation Google Scholarship – further information via Google website
• Paid internships should be offered to the graduate class of 2020 to support their employment prospects and to help businesses get back on their feet following the Covid-19 lockdown – article via Universities UK, June 2020
• Green New Deal – website, homepage

Thank you to the Ufi Voctech Trust & Ufi Ventures

The Voctech Podcast Series is produced by The Edtech Podcast and supported by Ufi Voctech Trust and Ufi Ventures.

Our aim is to help improve vocational skills in the UK’s workforce by funding digital solutions for vocational learning. We only fund activity that is ‘scalable’ through technology, ie projects that use digital methods to widen access to vocational learning. While digital learning solutions are potentially open to all, we are especially keen to assist digital projects which involve post-school age vocational learners that have failed to be engaged by the education system. Contact: kate.atha@ufi.co.uk, Head of Communications, Ufi Voctech Trust.

Ufi Ventures offers early-stage ventures finance and support that draws on the depth of Ufi’s experience in developing digital technologies for skills needed for work. We can invest from £150,000 up to £1m as equity or debt into early-stage companies who share our mission and meet our investment criteria. We are keen to collaborate and co-invest with other value-aligned investors interested in the opportunity presented by the changing nature of work and skills. Contact: richard.male@ufi.co.uk

Tell us where you are listening in from

We’d love to hear about innovative technology or approaches you are developing or using in adult education. Leave your stories in the comments below. Alternately, record a quick free voicemail via speakpipe for inclusion in the next episode. Finally, you can post your thoughts or follow-on links via twitter @podcastedtech or via The Edtech Podcast Facebook page.