How this former art teacher is helping adult students learn better at General Assembly

In five words, how would you describe what you do?

Helping people become lifelong learners.

Why is your work important to the world today?  

Global events, notably COVID-19, have drastically reshaped our way of life, accelerating technological integration into daily activities. As technologies evolve, businesses seek a workforce adept at navigating these changes. General Assembly is a leading source for tech training, staffing, and career transitions.

We empower individuals to leverage technology to solve complex problems and drive innovation and economic growth.

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Our work also ensures that everyone, regardless of their socio-economic background or location, has access to the knowledge and tools needed to participate in the digital economy. We aim to increase diversity in the workforce, enabling every individual to stay relevant and competitive in an increasingly tech-driven landscape.

What do people most misunderstand about what the work you do aims to achieve?

People assume that at General Assembly, we are just a school that offers tech courses, but we are more than that. We’re a vibrant community dedicated to empowering individuals to seize control of their learning and achieve their career objectives.

We encourage collaboration, making it the ideal place for tech newcomers and entrepreneurs to connect and learn from one another.

As APAC’s head of learning at General Assembly, my role goes beyond curriculum development and course delivery. Relationship-building and emotional support are key. Hiring instructors means more than just onboarding; it involves coaching and emotional backing, especially since teaching can lead to self-doubt. We help instructors regain confidence and tackle challenges.

We also work closely with industry experts and government partners to develop our programs and continuously connect with leading employers to ensure relevancy. The latter helps get people into those in-demand tech roles and ensures learning is accessible for all.

It’s important for us to understand learners’ career goals and provide them with a learning platform, coaching, and mentorship. Our work ensures everyone has access to the knowledge and tools needed to participate in the digital economy.

What would success look like?

Success for me is when our community evolves and grows. Someone might come to General Assembly to attend a workshop or a course, but they might also be a subject matter expert on another topic. In that moment, the community has grown because we’ve gained both a learner and a new instructor. 

Success also involves seeing how General Assembly impacts people’s careers. One particularly impactful story involves a student enrolled in our software engineering course. Balancing the course with family commitments and odd jobs wasn’t easy, but dedication fueled their journey. Upon graduation, they landed a junior software engineer role, and today, they’re a technical lead at a startup. 

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What three things would make your work goals easier to achieve?

First, employers need to be on board and think deeply about investing in skills development, reskilling, and lifelong learning to grow their businesses and strengthen our economies’ foundation. Second, government agencies must work closely with companies to understand the market.

Lastly, individuals need to commit to getting better. With the fast-changing nature of the tech industry, committing to continuous learning is not just an advantage — it’s a necessity.

When you look at the state of the world today, what is the one thing that gives you hope?

The increasing emphasis on building a diverse workforce gives me hope. We’re seeing more women represented in tech companies, empowering other women to take charge of their careers and learning journeys.

Another positive trend that gives me hope is the increasing number of employer partners who view upskilling and reskilling their current workforce as a priority for business growth and acknowledge that it goes beyond just being an HR retention strategy. They are keen to leverage their current talent pool and ensure their employees have the most up-to-date skills needed to succeed.

This article was originally published in The Peak.