Presentation Details – Thursday January 9, 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm
The Future of Learning: Developing Future-Ready Learners to Impact the Global Tech Workforce Shortfall
The intersection of data and technology permeates life in the digital era. The future of learning demands that we prepare traditional and non-traditional learners alike with the skills and competencies they’ll need to do the jobs of tomorrow. As the world becomes increasingly connected and artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing become indispensable tools, understanding the technology that enables these applications is fast becoming fundamental in every position and every industry.
Join the founder of AWS Educate, Amazon’s global initiative to dramatically accelerate cloud learning and prepare students for a cloud-enabled workforce, to explore the dynamics of data, the cloud, and the future of work. Ken will share insights gained from over 20 years spearheading local and global initiatives that improve educational outcomes and delivery methods and partnership with more than 2,400 educational institutions worldwide.
Biography
Ken is an education technology leader with 20+ years-experience spearheading initiatives that improve educational outcomes and disrupt traditional delivery models. Ken founded AWS Educate, Amazon’s global initiative to dramatically accelerate cloud learning and prepare students for a cloud-enabled workforce. Program demand has far outstripped projections, with membership composed of hundreds of thousands of students and over 2,400 institutions including all of the top ten leading global computer science higher education institutions. Subsequent AWS Educate innovations include: 2016’s launch of “Cloud Career Pathways,” an education-to-employment environment with learning pathways, micro-credentials, and a job board; 2017’s opening up of the program to students 14 to 17 years-old and creation of Cloud Literacy content; and 2018’s launch of full degree offerings, beginning with vocational institutions and community colleges.
Ken’s roles prior to AWS included: Senior Vice President, Business Development and Marketing for One Economy, where he helped guide some of the largest public private partnerships in digital education; Vice President of Marketing for e-commerce textbook provider VarsityBooks, where he contributed to its IPO and launched its marketing services division; and strategic advisor to Sprint Nextel. In 2014, Ken was appointed to the D.C. Mayor’s Technology and Innovation Inclusion Council, where he currently chairs the Workforce Development committee. He also sits on the edX customer advisory board and advises various educational institutions. Ken holds an MBA from Georgetown University, an MPP from the Georgetown Public Policy Institute, and a BA from Cornell University.