PECA starts educating Swedish industry
Swedish industry lack updated knowledge in many technologies. Now, KTH's industrial network ICES is about to change that when launching its pilot project, PECA. Here, professional educators are able to tailor the development of courses for companies with KTH knowledge as a basis.
Lifelong learning was hot even before the pandemic, but after a year of covid-19, the concept is highly topical. And with a high demand for complimentary education, the PECA project has gained momentum. The training material for the first three areas, AI, edge computing and cyber security, is in the process of taking shape and the first pilot educations will be launched in the autumn.
PECA (Professional Education Content Alliance), is an education concept aimed at industry and technology companies and will function as a knowledge hub where KTH, but also others, will be able to provide content.
”Skills shortages is a serious threat to companies' growth, and knowledge in AI, edge computing and cyber security is neglected. Many companies have the same type of challenges, not the least in lifelong learning, and the benefits of working together are obvious. PECA is for those who both need and can contribute with educational content. Right now we are working with companies like Atlas Copco, SAAB, NCC, Rockwell Automation and Knightec,” says Tobias Vahlne, business developer at The department of Machine Design at KTH.
Workshop with Atlas Copco
By the autumn, more parts of the long-term business will be in place and new members can join. Based on the ICES competence network , Tobias Vahlne is currently gathering "good forces" that can contribute to the project. On June 9, ICES and Atlas Copco will host a workshop where about 30 participants will map the micro-trends in lifelong learning that are emerging in the wake of the pandemic - knowledge that PECA then will share with its affiliated members and which will also form the basis for the development of PECA's various services.
One of the PECA project’s partners is professional educational company SkilleEd, which will design the training in accordance with the wished of the participating companies. Although companies and organizations have a great need for new knowledge, employees have a relatively limited amount of time to put into the training formats that exist today, which is something that SkillEd has noticed:
” The demands for how educations are organized and packaged are increasing. The business community wants individual adaptation, and that educational initiatives really have an effect throughout the organization, and that they engage. And those who attend an education demand interactivity, that the course is easily accessible anytime and anywhere - and that it should be fun to learn. That is why we work a lot with micro-courses, so-called bit-sized learning, where the knowledge is divided into smaller pieces with clear progression,” says Mikaela Valtersson, responsible for SkillEd, a business area for complimentary education within Kunskapsskolan where she is also vice president.
Will strengthen growth
She hopes that more people will open their eyes to new, more modern ways of gaining knowledge and that more connection between universities and business will be made.
” It is incredibly important now to spread knowledge from our universities to our society. If the business community can gain knowledge and expertise in various subjects from KTH more easily, it will strengthen growth and, in the long run, Sweden's competitiveness,” says Mikaela Valtersson.
Text: Anna Gullers
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