Global Opportunity Forum celebrates one year with executive roundtable in London
July 7, 2023
Across the world, companies struggle to find and train skilled workers, while employees struggle to develop in their careers. Rapid technological advances such as generative AI, as well as ongoing economic and geopolitical upheavals, exacerbate these challenges. Although some organizations have innovative practices for managing their talent pipelines, all companies wish their talent and career development processes could be better. The Global Opportunity Forum (GOF), part of MIT’s Office of Open Learning, is taking the lead on these important challenges. It is working with organizations around the world to co-create the future of workforce learning.
On June 21, the GOF celebrated its first anniversary in London by co-hosting a day-long executive roundtable with MIT’s Industrial Liaison Program and multinational telecommunications company British Telecom. The full-capacity event included nearly 20 expert speakers from some of the world’s most well-known organizations across the globe, including BT, HSBC, Airbus, Lloyds Banking Group, Societe Generale, and the International Labour Organization.
From start to finish, the London event was notably energetic. “Wow—what an amazing day,” wrote Victoria Sparey, Senior Workforce Capability Manager at Lloyds Banking Group, on LinkedIn. “So inspiring to think globally about the ecosystems involved in the future of learning, skills, talent and careers—especially in the context of emerging technologies and pace of change.”
The day included five panel discussions and two fireside chats. Panels addressed topics ranging from talent ecosystems and career development to advanced-technology skills and alternative methods for finding talent. Senior leaders shared their challenges and best practices, from finding AI talent to helping people manage “squiggly” career paths, to addressing diversity and inclusion challenges through non-traditional hiring.
Senior executives were not alone in sharing their insights. Erin Crompton, a Chartered Business Management Apprentice in her third year with BT Group, spoke about her experiences pursuing a non-traditional career path..“It was very evident by Erin’s excellent outline that here is a leader in the making through non-traditional route of work-based learning,” wrote Charlie Boyle, Customer Experience Consultant, on LinkedIn. To Boyle, Crompton’s story shows a need for alternate career paths so “that we don’t miss talent like this.”
The fireside chats offered expert insights into some of the thorniest problems in workforce learning. The first featured Joanne Legge, Vice President Digital Disciplines at BP. Legge shared insights from her long career at BP and spoke about how her team is strengthening their workforce development by clarifying jobs, skill profiles, and career paths in BP’s large digital organization.
The second fireside chat featured Rupert McNeil, who served as Chief People Officer for the UK government from 2016 to 2022, after a role as Group HR Director at Lloyds Banking Group. McNeil offered fascinating perspectives about the past and future of talent and HR management.
Members of the MIT community participated throughout the event, including GOF Founder George Westerman, MIT Sloan senior lecturer Phil Budden, and MIT Horizon.executive director Kathleen Kennedy.
The London event has opened the door for further collaboration on workforce learning across Western Europe. GOF is launching working groups on topics such as data science careers and human skills, which will bring leaders together to solve important challenges identified at the event. “Let’s continue to collaborate, innovate, and drive positive change in workforce learning!” wrote panelist Sarah Kandil, Digital Strategy Officer at Société Générale.
About the Global Opportunity Forum
The London event topped off an eventful first year for the Global Opportunity Forum. The GOF, formerly known as the Global Opportunity Initiative within MIT Open Learning, has a singular goal – to help companies improve their talent and workforce management by sharing stories, curating best practices, and co-creating new solutions to tough problems. It’s a community of organizations united in the mission of giving the right skills to the right people in the right way – for the benefit of the workers and the companies themselves.
Since its launch in June 2022 the GOF has engaged leaders around the world on some of the toughest challenges of workforce learning. GOF communications and podcasts examine opportunities and practices from a variety of angles. The GOI had its first launch outside of the U.S. at the November 2022 Integrated STEM Leadership Summit in Manila, Philippines in November 2022. The Summit gathered nearly 300 educators, government officials, and corporate executives to share perspectives and generate momentum in Southeast Asia. And its sponsored research, including a $5Million USAID-funded Advanced Manufacturing training program in the Philippines and regional benchmarking program for advanced manufacturing in six US states, is creating valuable materials that can foster growth for employers and employees around the world.
To learn more about how to engage with the GOF please email gof-info@mit.edu.
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