In the rapidly-evolving world of technology and business, getting ahead of the curve requires deliberate learning and adaptation.
For individuals and organizations alike, the ability to navigate emerging fields like blockchain, and Web 3.0 is becoming ever-important as it will shape the future of education, business, and work.
To get a clearer picture of this emerging trend, we spoke with Dr Tammy Francis, Founder of Catalyst 4 Change Global.
She is a Blockchain and Web3 Consultant, as well as an Educational Research Scientist. Through her work providing education and talks on topics ranging from decentralized autonomous organizations to onboarding into Web 3.0, she has been helping individuals and organizations prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the digital age.
In this interview, we’ll dive into Dr. Tammy’s insights on the future of education and work, the potential of blockchain and Web 3.0 technologies, and the skills that individuals need to succeed in these rapidly-changing fields.
Background on your career journey with the academia and blockchain
Well, first I’m still a teacher and college professor, that is, my day job. And I’ve done educational consulting and professional development for educators since 2005.
Then around 2016, I decided to expand and do other things, because I realized that my audience was made up of large women who wanted to start a business or pursue additional educational goals. And that’s when I moved into doing more of life and business strategy.
For a year, I did some mastermind groups, running the business under my name, and then in 2017, I finally decided to create Catalyst 4 Change Global, which would be more of a consulting firm.
This transition made me move into what people would call a web2 business, where I did life and business strategy, helping people with their goals, based on their purpose.
Starting from that point, I made sure what I did was purpose-driven, and it was around the same time that I started researching the latest technology.
I’ve always been interested in educational technology as I have written professional articles on the subject, and this was what led me to blockchain technology.
Back at the University of Texas, there was a program that the school was running, and that’s when I started looking into blockchain itself and how it applied to education; however, I got distracted on the way, leading me to abandon the technology.
Fortunately, I had a friend that was talking about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, specifically Bitcoin.
This discussion reignited my lost interest in the subject, thus I decided to pick it up from where I abandoned it a couple of years back. I then decided to pursue certifications in blockchain.
I started teaching blockchain technology at Althash University. It just made sense that if I was helping people reach their goals and transition while staying competitive, I should also be including that in my business. That’s when I added the Web3 and blockchain consulting parts to my business.
As an Academic, would you say that your female students are receptive to blockchain and technology in general?
I see women as very receptive; they may not be as vocal and have that assertiveness that comes from gender differences, but they are definitely interested.
And I think there are more women interested than women who are given the opportunity to do it. I think there is an assumption that women don’t want to learn and are resistant, but it’s just that we need to give women the space, and to use their voice.
Women tend to take a back seat because it’s so male dominant space. I’ve been in spaces where men overspeak women and act like they are really the only people on stage.
When you enter spaces where it’s male dominant and that’s the energy of the room or space, women tend to step back.
I recently attended the International Women of blockchain conference, and there were some women in this space doing amazing things around the world. And it’s when you get opportunities like that, that you really have a clear vision of what women are doing in this space, and how interested they are. But when there’s that male energy, it takes dominance over the women.
It appears women are resistant to learning, but the spaces available for them are minimal. Women learn at their own pace.
For instance, the encouragement of women coming to the tech space has probably been in the last five years because of STEM and recently the blockchain space which is not more than two years.
More women need to be encouraged for inclusion. Although there are more opportunities now, there is still a need for a deliberate invitation into the space. Women’s resistance to blockchain is nothing but a misconception.
What has been your contribution to female inclusion?
My philosophy is, you need a mentor and a sponsor. I hope that I provide an opportunity to be that to other women because I am open to an invitation for mentorship.
For women to take up space, we have to make space for them; and I wouldn’t be doing what I do if it wasn’t for one of my male friends who helped me navigate this space.
Likewise, I try to do the same for other women. That is, if I know that there’s an opportunity, someone needs a speaker on a panel, or an educational opportunity to reskill or upskill, I share such. While not also forgetting to share job opportunities.
Asides from sponsorship and mentorship, I also have a blockchain-empowered community for women, where we meet monthly, sharing educational opportunities and other resources so that those who want to onboard, reskill, upskill, or retool, can do that with my assistance.
From web2 to web3, how do you see the impact on the future of education and work?
It’s a great time for anyone who thinks about what’s next to start, considering what the future will look like 5-10 years from now, especially those who haven’t gotten a degree yet, nor have pursued a certification. People are still trying to figure out the web2/web3 space.
For an individual who wants to make this transition, the question should be, what is my goal? What is my purpose? What am I meant to do? This should align with who you are and where you are going.
You need to start thinking about what part of blockchain technology you are interested in based on your industry and how it fits into the future of work.
As you know, there are buzzwords out there around blockchain, NFTs, Metaverse, DAOs, cryptocurrency wallets, and the like. There is a lot to learn and it takes time to learn how it works to really be safe and confident.
To do this, you have to be strategic; that’s why I call myself a strategist and not a coach, because I help you think about how to begin the web2 move, the digital transformation, to web3, plus the resources and training you need.
I also see the same thing with education; web3 will change the landscape by making both the creator and consumer beneficiaries, allowing them to have more ownership and dive deep into creativity.
When I think about what the future looks like, it’s all about educating people, making them think about what to get certified in, and what potential job they want.
Transitioning into web3 is giving people ownership, creativity, and a voice in addressing what I talk about Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. And that’s why I say I’m a Jedi.
Role of Blockchain and metaverse in the future of learning
For the metaverse, we are there already, because there are at least 10 metaversities. This really creates an immersive experience for students, and they can attend institutions from anywhere in the world.
It creates this idea of open access that we’ve been talking about already in education because now it adds flexibility. I think accessibility, affordability, and accountability are the three things that it offers for education.
Blockchain technology is already being used in education for certifications, and maintaining records and badges. Right now, we use the numeric or letter grading system, blockchain might create something different.
Generally, the processes within the institutions, and how things are kept will be on blockchain. Students will have their records in their wallets which can be used as they transition and graduate to the employment stage. So many things will also be done with NFTs in education.
What advice would you give college and university students on how to prepare for the future with respect to emerging technologies like web3, blockchain, and metaverse?
One thing I tell my students in college is that whatever they want to transition into for their chosen career path, it must be available in the future. In addition, seek to learn marketable skills and see how emerging technologies are fitting into their choices.
For instance, if you want to go into healthcare or business, you may want to do a simple search to see what your career landscape looks like in the future. You don’t want to major in a discipline that is not going to be available the way you see it today.
Now, you may be able to do something in the same field, the same area, but you may have to go from a different perspective and how you look at it and approach it, in addition to the actual skills you learn.
You can put them on a resume to get the jobs that will be available because, let’s be honest, skills in machine learning, AI, and blockchain technology will change how we do things in the next few years.
I’ve made sure that whatever they’re majoring in what makes sense and that there’s actually going to be a career that’s available when they graduate.
What advice would you give to individuals who are interested in staying up to date with the latest emerging technology in education and blockchain?
My response would be very similar to what I tell my students, I think it’s the same for everyone. If you’re interested in STEM, go for it, especially if you’re a woman, because we need more women in that area.
If there is a tech-related field and you are interested in it, I would say go for it, if there’s a demand in that industry. And if somebody wants to reskill, upskill or retool, then it’s all about having the resources.
For someone like this, let’s think about what are your goals. What is it you want to do? Then let’s find the resources available for that, whether it’s an educational opportunity because there are so many programs out there now that are offering free certifications or inexpensive opportunities to learn a lot about emerging tech and any of the STEM areas.
For someone, who wants to reskill, we’ll talk about how they make that transition from one career to another. If they want to upskill, then it’s about those resources and educational opportunities.
And for some people, it’s just about how to retool. Since they’re using the wrong technology or the technology that’s no longer efficient anymore, it’s about exposing them to emerging technologies and education around that technology.
So I think that would be my advice to them is to really think about their goals. What do you want to do? And then let’s find resources for those things.
What skills are needed for those interested in education and blockchain?
This is an interesting question because it probably goes against what I believe that you got to learn something more specific. That it’s one size fits all. I think it’s not. There may be something more specific, but it’s based on what you want to be.
For instance, if you want to be a content writer, you want to make sure you can do things in the blockchain space and that may look very different from someone who wants to be a nurse who will be using Blockchain technology or some of these other technologies in their job.
It’s very hard for me to say they need to learn one skill. However, what I call the catalyst approach is better, and it means everyone should start with knowledge of the technology. But it doesn’t have to be really in-depth for every role.
You just need to know the technology behind those things that will be impacting your industry. Blockchain technology, AI, machine learning, and the like may affect your industry.
Learn the technology that is most relevant to your career and explore the different ways it is connected to your industry. Ask yourself, what are the jobs that are most connected to the technology? Will it be most valuable in the next three to five years? By 2025, we’re going to see a big change.
I always ask people in the next three to five years from now, definitely by 2030, what does that look like for you? What are your options?
Then start looking at the skills necessary to make sure that you have what you need to be competitive when you’re ready to move into that position or when those positions become available.
Bottom line
I would like to reiterate that there’s so much that is mainstream that makes it sound like people are late to the party, it creates this energy that you have to learn it all.
Rather than this, you should approach everything strategically. No one is late, this is the perfect time to start your educational journey and learn the technologies previously mentioned.
In doing this, never forget who you are and where you’re going. Don’t get distracted. I am a non-tech person in this tech world; coding isn’t my thing. I will probably want to learn to code at some point, but I don’t think I will ever be a developer.
Know your goal and stay focused, because people will tell you that you need to be a coder or become a developer; however, there are so many options in this tech space, just make sure it is aligned with what you’re doing right now, while you continue earning your livelihood.
But it’s good to start learning and take advantage of some of these free opportunities, programs, and courses that are out there right now. Although you may not use them now, you’ll be ready when it’s time.
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