Business leaders back Trust’s pioneering AI programme

Birmingham’s Millennium Point provided the perfect venue to unveil a ground-breaking programme which aims to prepare students across the city for a future dominated by Artificial Intelligence.

Futures Readiness was developed by the Sutton Coldfield-headquartered Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP), a family of 24 schools across the West Midlands.

They now hope to extend the pioneering scheme beyond their own sites to benefit students across Birmingham and further afield.

The scheme provides students with a preparedness framework of 20 different skills, attitudes, competences and values, to help them navigate the rapidly-changing present and prepare for unprecedented disruption to the world of work, education and society.

Alex Zarifeh, the ATLP Trust Lead on Personal Development and Careers, has shaped the programme after months of in-depth research, working with Dr Shane McLoughlin, of the University of Birmingham, to categorise the Futures Readiness taxonomy.

The event was introduced by Millennium Point CEO Abbie Vlahakis, presented details of the programme to dozens of regional business leaders, all potential collaborators in the exciting project.

Under the theme ‘The Game Has Changed: AI and the Future of Work’, the event shed light on the transformative role AI is already playing in knowledge-based industries. Sponsored by education recruitment service Aspire People, the breakfast meeting also provided an opportunity for business leaders to network.

Alex said: “We had a fantastic response to our Futures Readiness event, with more than 50 major companies from across the Midlands attending – which I think shows the appetite there is across all sectors to understand what the impact of AI is likely to be, for their business their employees, and their future workforce needs.

“With technology moving so rapidly, it’s vital that education and business work together to try to map out what skills and attributes will be needed from today’s students, because we need to start addressing them now.

“While most schools are focusing on the use of AI tools to boost traditional academic outcomes, ATLP’s approach has been to develop a broader preparedness framework, to help young people navigate their way through these unprecedented times.

“We are very grateful for the support we have already received, and hope that more businesses join us in the project.”

Alex talked delegates through AI’s dizzyingly rapid rate of advance, citing everything from programmes that give PhD level answers to unseen questions within minutes, to F-16 fighter jets controlled by artificial intelligence.

Then he explained how, through simple fortnightly engagement with pupils, ATLP’s schools aimed to use Futures Readiness to prepare students for the constantly changing world being shaped by technology.

The programme covers Personal Development and Self-Regulation, Ethical and Societal Engagement, Social and Emotional Competences, Cognitive Abilities and Thinking Skills and finally Practical and Environmental Skills.

The next step is to develop a student-facing tracking tool, enabling young people to document, celebrate and reflect upon their personal development progress in each of the framework’s 20 domains.

ATLP is aiming to raise an initial £50,000 to develop the Futures Readiness Tracking Tool, with different Partnership Packages available from £1000 to £10,000.

During the Millennium Point event, Atkins Realis and Millennium Point both committed to becoming inaugural Futures Readiness Headline Partners, generously committing to 10K funding this year.

Speaking afterwards, Dan Heffernan, Strategic Social Values Lead at Atkins Realis, said: “Futures Readiness is dedicated to ensuring young people are ready for the impending Artificial Intelligence Revolution – Alex is leading the way in this space!” 

Chris Golby, CEO of Lumien, said: “Alex’s AI breakfast seminar was the most compelling business case I have heard, for employers to ensure their people are prepared for change!”

The event was sponsored and backed by Millennium Point, Aspire Education’s Daniel Dawkins, Cudos Creative’s Kate Curry, Shannon Williamson and Alastair Hughes and Clive Poole from MonsterPrint.

If you would like to know more about subscribing to ATLP’s Futures Readiness fortnightly resources, arrange a keynote address by Alex or financially support the tracking tool fundraising drive, you can contact Alex on azarifeh@arthurterry.bham.sch.uk