oh right so it’s really nice to be back here in st. Gallen the first time I was
here in st. Gallen the first time I was
here in st. Gallen the first time I was here was back in 2007 for the symposium
here was back in 2007 for the symposium
here was back in 2007 for the symposium back then I was much younger probably
back then I was much younger probably
back then I was much younger probably much more beautiful as well when I think
much more beautiful as well when I think
much more beautiful as well when I think about it perhaps nowadays I’m a bit more
about it perhaps nowadays I’m a bit more
about it perhaps nowadays I’m a bit more like that middle-aged old skinny man
like that middle-aged old skinny man
like that middle-aged old skinny man that that lower was talking about
that that lower was talking about
that that lower was talking about earlier
anyways I spent the past ten years
anyways I spent the past ten years working as a tech entrepreneur in Sweden
working as a tech entrepreneur in Sweden
working as a tech entrepreneur in Sweden and the past six years I’ve been working
and the past six years I’ve been working
and the past six years I’ve been working on a I guess you could say a more subtle
on a I guess you could say a more subtle
on a I guess you could say a more subtle kind of revolution which is the
kind of revolution which is the
kind of revolution which is the revolution in recruitment or rather kind
revolution in recruitment or rather kind
revolution in recruitment or rather kind of the bridge between education and
of the bridge between education and
of the bridge between education and employment because if you think of it
employment because if you think of it
employment because if you think of it many of the issues that we currently see
many of the issues that we currently see
many of the issues that we currently see being expressed in the elections in the
being expressed in the elections in the
being expressed in the elections in the United States
United States
United States in the United Kingdom and probably all
in the United Kingdom and probably all
in the United Kingdom and probably all of Europe are all related somehow to
of Europe are all related somehow to
of Europe are all related somehow to access to opportunities and I would
access to opportunities and I would
access to opportunities and I would argue but the failure to provide people
argue but the failure to provide people
argue but the failure to provide people with opportunities is the one promise
with opportunities is the one promise
with opportunities is the one promise that the free world has failed to
that the free world has failed to
that the free world has failed to deliver on to the people but why do
deliver on to the people but why do
deliver on to the people but why do people expect opportunities in the first
people expect opportunities in the first
people expect opportunities in the first place well in order to understand this
place well in order to understand this
place well in order to understand this we need to go back a bit in time to the
we need to go back a bit in time to the
we need to go back a bit in time to the 19th century and back in the 19th
19th century and back in the 19th
19th century and back in the 19th century the idea of a public access to
century the idea of a public access to
century the idea of a public access to education came about and this book that
education came about and this book that
education came about and this book that you can see up here I got it from my
you can see up here I got it from my
you can see up here I got it from my grandfather
grandfather
grandfather it’s a description of the fork Shula or
it’s a description of the fork Shula or
it’s a description of the fork Shula or the the people’s school and this idea
the the people’s school and this idea
the the people’s school and this idea that everyone should have access to
that everyone should have access to
that everyone should have access to education you know that wasn’t
education you know that wasn’t
education you know that wasn’t completely clear back then because the
completely clear back then because the
completely clear back then because the hierarchies were in place you know you
hierarchies were in place you know you
hierarchies were in place you know you had the elites and they were very happy
had the elites and they were very happy
had the elites and they were very happy with their castles and their fancy
with their castles and their fancy
with their castles and their fancy parties and and all that stuff but they
parties and and all that stuff but they
parties and and all that stuff but they thought it was a good idea to provide
thought it was a good idea to provide
thought it was a good idea to provide everyone with basic education for a few
everyone with basic education for a few
everyone with basic education for a few reasons
reasons
reasons so one of the reasons were to qualify
so one of the reasons were to qualify
so one of the reasons were to qualify people for society another one was to
people for society another one was to
people for society another one was to control the social order and to start
control the social order and to start
control the social order and to start kind of building this social contract
kind of building this social contract
kind of building this social contract between between the people and the the
between between the people and the the
between between the people and the the government and the third reason was to
government and the third reason was to
government and the third reason was to build good citizens so essentially what
build good citizens so essentially what
build good citizens so essentially what this social contract said was that if
this social contract said was that if
this social contract said was that if you invest your time and your energy and
you invest your time and your energy and
you invest your time and your energy and your trust into this system we guarantee
your trust into this system we guarantee
your trust into this system we guarantee that you will have access to
that you will have access to
that you will have access to opportunities to jobs that you also get
opportunities to jobs that you also get
opportunities to jobs that you also get to share the welfare that we create
to share the welfare that we create
to share the welfare that we create together in this country but furthermore
together in this country but furthermore
together in this country but furthermore with that promise came another promise
with that promise came another promise
with that promise came another promise that hadn’t been around before which was
that hadn’t been around before which was
that hadn’t been around before which was the promise of social mobility but it
the promise of social mobility but it
the promise of social mobility but it wouldn’t matter that you were born into
wouldn’t matter that you were born into
wouldn’t matter that you were born into a role it didn’t matter that you were
a role it didn’t matter that you were
a role it didn’t matter that you were born a peasant because you would still
born a peasant because you would still
born a peasant because you would still get access to the education and you
get access to the education and you
get access to the education and you could still make that rags-to-riches
could still make that rags-to-riches
could still make that rags-to-riches journey that that resonates very deeply
journey that that resonates very deeply
journey that that resonates very deeply within people so for years and years
within people so for years and years
within people so for years and years this system was built up in in a lot of
this system was built up in in a lot of
this system was built up in in a lot of countries and I took part of it myself
countries and I took part of it myself
countries and I took part of it myself there is a lot of students in here
there is a lot of students in here
there is a lot of students in here you’re in this right now maja
and this is a this is my diploma I
and this is a this is my diploma I actually managed to graduate with a
actually managed to graduate with a
actually managed to graduate with a diploma that was an effort but it’s
diploma that was an effort but it’s
diploma that was an effort but it’s interesting that back then I mean when
interesting that back then I mean when
interesting that back then I mean when the system was built up the idea was
the system was built up the idea was
the system was built up the idea was that you were educating yourself and
that you were educating yourself and
that you were educating yourself and then you had one job for your entire
then you had one job for your entire
then you had one job for your entire lifetime or maybe two jobs you know but
lifetime or maybe two jobs you know but
lifetime or maybe two jobs you know but you’re supposed to have a limited number
you’re supposed to have a limited number
you’re supposed to have a limited number of jobs but today young people are
of jobs but today young people are
of jobs but today young people are expected to have four jobs by the age of
expected to have four jobs by the age of
expected to have four jobs by the age of thirty and expected to have twenty jobs
thirty and expected to have twenty jobs
thirty and expected to have twenty jobs within a lifetime and this has led to a
within a lifetime and this has led to a
within a lifetime and this has led to a fundamental kind of restructuring of the
fundamental kind of restructuring of the
fundamental kind of restructuring of the way that education is is done in the
way that education is is done in the
way that education is is done in the world we’re moving from learning at one
world we’re moving from learning at one
world we’re moving from learning at one point in life to lifelong learning which
point in life to lifelong learning which
point in life to lifelong learning which is like going in and out in education
is like going in and out in education
is like going in and out in education throughout life and to highlight what
throughout life and to highlight what
throughout life and to highlight what this has done to the recruitment
this has done to the recruitment
this has done to the recruitment industry because what happens is that
industry because what happens is that
industry because what happens is that people learn in different ways through
people learn in different ways through
people learn in different ways through different different means you know there
different different means you know there
different different means you know there are online courses available these days
are online courses available these days
are online courses available these days or you can do internships and you can
or you can do internships and you can
or you can do internships and you can even be self-taught
even be self-taught
even be self-taught a lot of the best developers in the
a lot of the best developers in the
a lot of the best developers in the worlds that are hired by companies they
worlds that are hired by companies they
worlds that are hired by companies they are they don’t have an education they’ve
are they don’t have an education they’ve
are they don’t have an education they’ve they’ve taken the hard way of learning
they’ve taken the hard way of learning
they’ve taken the hard way of learning but in the United Kingdom if you
but in the United Kingdom if you
but in the United Kingdom if you graduate from a university there are 39
graduate from a university there are 39
graduate from a university there are 39 other graduates that are competing for
other graduates that are competing for
other graduates that are competing for each and every job on average if you’re
each and every job on average if you’re
each and every job on average if you’re going into one of the big famous swedish
going into one of the big famous swedish
going into one of the big famous swedish tech companies then you’re competing
tech companies then you’re competing
tech companies then you’re competing against 450 other people for that job
against 450 other people for that job
against 450 other people for that job but my favourite example of how the
but my favourite example of how the
but my favourite example of how the recruitment process is completely
recruitment process is completely
recruitment process is completely upside-down is the government job in
upside-down is the government job in
upside-down is the government job in India that had 2.3 million people
India that had 2.3 million people
India that had 2.3 million people applying for three hundred and eighty
applying for three hundred and eighty
applying for three hundred and eighty positions six thousand 250 people per
positions six thousand 250 people per
positions six thousand 250 people per position how do you stand out in that
position how do you stand out in that
position how do you stand out in that crowd you know oh I got a pink CV I’ll
crowd you know oh I got a pink CV I’ll
crowd you know oh I got a pink CV I’ll stand in a I’ll send in a pressie or
stand in a I’ll send in a pressie or
stand in a I’ll send in a pressie or something I hope they sort of see me in
something I hope they sort of see me in
something I hope they sort of see me in the piles now and this is my folder we
the piles now and this is my folder we
the piles now and this is my folder we all have one my folder applications
all have one my folder applications
all have one my folder applications Seavey’s personal letters there are some
Seavey’s personal letters there are some
Seavey’s personal letters there are some motivations begging for getting a job so
motivations begging for getting a job so
motivations begging for getting a job so what I want to challenge is kind of this
what I want to challenge is kind of this
what I want to challenge is kind of this whole process of how we match people
whole process of how we match people
whole process of how we match people between education and work it’s like do
between education and work it’s like do
between education and work it’s like do we feel that this is still fair do we
we feel that this is still fair do we
we feel that this is still fair do we feel that this is still transparent and
feel that this is still transparent and
feel that this is still transparent and do we feel that it’s a meaningful way of
do we feel that it’s a meaningful way of
do we feel that it’s a meaningful way of spending our time and applying for jobs
spending our time and applying for jobs
spending our time and applying for jobs but what’s perhaps even more interesting
but what’s perhaps even more interesting
but what’s perhaps even more interesting is what happens to the social contract
is what happens to the social contract
is what happens to the social contract and the guarantee that your that you’re
and the guarantee that your that you’re
and the guarantee that your that you’re getting a job after your education when
getting a job after your education when
getting a job after your education when you are in fact getting in line and with
you are in fact getting in line and with
you are in fact getting in line and with hundreds even thousands of others in
hundreds even thousands of others in
hundreds even thousands of others in order to get to that one opportunity so
order to get to that one opportunity so
order to get to that one opportunity so we heard a bit earlier today about the
we heard a bit earlier today about the
we heard a bit earlier today about the robots and this small robot here is not
robots and this small robot here is not
robots and this small robot here is not gonna steal our jobs because it’s too
gonna steal our jobs because it’s too
gonna steal our jobs because it’s too small I think it’s gonna steal our
small I think it’s gonna steal our
small I think it’s gonna steal our circuit boards maybe and but I mean
circuit boards maybe and but I mean
circuit boards maybe and but I mean whether the robots steal our jobs or not
whether the robots steal our jobs or not
whether the robots steal our jobs or not because they might you know there might
because they might you know there might
because they might you know there might be fewer jobs available in the future
be fewer jobs available in the future
be fewer jobs available in the future but it might also be the case which we
but it might also be the case which we
but it might also be the case which we are more certain of is that the
are more certain of is that the
are more certain of is that the technology is changing the pace that
technology is changing the pace that
technology is changing the pace that jobs are being replaced so that the jobs
jobs are being replaced so that the jobs
jobs are being replaced so that the jobs that are available five years from now
that are available five years from now
that are available five years from now 10 years from now 20 years from now will
10 years from now 20 years from now will
10 years from now 20 years from now will be vastly different from the jobs that
be vastly different from the jobs that
be vastly different from the jobs that are available today which also increases
are available today which also increases
are available today which also increases the kind of velocity that people will
the kind of velocity that people will
the kind of velocity that people will switch between professions and also the
switch between professions and also the
switch between professions and also the need for education and upgrading your
need for education and upgrading your
need for education and upgrading your skills throughout your career so now
skills throughout your career so now
skills throughout your career so now that we know that recruitment is an
that we know that recruitment is an
that we know that recruitment is an awful process like the way it works why
awful process like the way it works why
awful process like the way it works why don’t we see how we can fix it because
don’t we see how we can fix it because
don’t we see how we can fix it because if people are waiting in line why can’t
if people are waiting in line why can’t
if people are waiting in line why can’t we just make that process more enjoyable
we just make that process more enjoyable
we just make that process more enjoyable and more fun even
and more fun even
and more fun even rewarding perhaps we can even turn the
rewarding perhaps we can even turn the
rewarding perhaps we can even turn the the application process into an
the application process into an
the application process into an educational process so that you learn as
educational process so that you learn as
educational process so that you learn as you go I think the first step towards
you go I think the first step towards
you go I think the first step towards this is just to recognize for companies
this is just to recognize for companies
this is just to recognize for companies and organizations that not everyone has
and organizations that not everyone has
and organizations that not everyone has the traditional set of skills so in
the traditional set of skills so in
the traditional set of skills so in order to pick up the people with a
order to pick up the people with a
order to pick up the people with a non-traditional background the process
non-traditional background the process
non-traditional background the process of identifying finding and giving a
of identifying finding and giving a
of identifying finding and giving a stage to those people and a path into
stage to those people and a path into
stage to those people and a path into the company is crucial so imagine if you
the company is crucial so imagine if you
the company is crucial so imagine if you if you have a job ad and instead of
if you have a job ad and instead of
if you have a job ad and instead of saying that we’re looking for an
saying that we’re looking for an
saying that we’re looking for an engineer that has decent art skills blah
engineer that has decent art skills blah
engineer that has decent art skills blah blah blah send in your CV and your
blah blah send in your CV and your
blah blah send in your CV and your personal letter you can apply with your
personal letter you can apply with your
personal letter you can apply with your by demonstrating your skills show was
by demonstrating your skills show was
by demonstrating your skills show was what you can do and secondly if we
what you can do and secondly if we
what you can do and secondly if we entertain the idea that we that we turn
entertain the idea that we that we turn
entertain the idea that we that we turn this process into an educational process
this process into an educational process
this process into an educational process imagine if you apply for a job at Google
imagine if you apply for a job at Google
imagine if you apply for a job at Google and they kind of take you through all
and they kind of take you through all
and they kind of take you through all kind of hopes and Hoops and and then you
kind of hopes and Hoops and and then you
kind of hopes and Hoops and and then you end up in the top 5% of that process but
end up in the top 5% of that process but
end up in the top 5% of that process but you don’t get the job wouldn’t it be
you don’t get the job wouldn’t it be
you don’t get the job wouldn’t it be great if that would be a merit that you
great if that would be a merit that you
great if that would be a merit that you could bring into the next process so
could bring into the next process so
could bring into the next process so that you could build your skills and you
that you could build your skills and you
that you could build your skills and you could build your profile as you go and
could build your profile as you go and
could build your profile as you go and why not build your portfolio in this
why not build your portfolio in this
why not build your portfolio in this example a design company was looking for
example a design company was looking for
example a design company was looking for satellite designers and engineers so
satellite designers and engineers so
satellite designers and engineers so they simply said show us what you can do
they simply said show us what you can do
they simply said show us what you can do design us the satellite 1,800 people
design us the satellite 1,800 people
design us the satellite 1,800 people designed satellites and of course only a
designed satellites and of course only a
designed satellites and of course only a handful was selected for the opportunity
handful was selected for the opportunity
handful was selected for the opportunity in the end but all the others got a nice
in the end but all the others got a nice
in the end but all the others got a nice piece of work for their portfolio that
piece of work for their portfolio that
piece of work for their portfolio that they could then bring onto the next
they could then bring onto the next
they could then bring onto the next application so it becomes more of a
application so it becomes more of a
application so it becomes more of a learning process and it’s interesting
learning process and it’s interesting
learning process and it’s interesting how companies speak more and more about
how companies speak more and more about
how companies speak more and more about employees as rockstars or you know
employees as rockstars or you know
employees as rockstars or you know superstars this is actually my company
superstars this is actually my company
superstars this is actually my company we are 60 rock stars we live the way we
we are 60 rock stars we live the way we
we are 60 rock stars we live the way we always go to Finland for
always go to Finland for
always go to Finland for karaoke that’s where all the magic
karaoke that’s where all the magic
karaoke that’s where all the magic happens like because you you need some
happens like because you you need some
happens like because you you need some karaoke in your life at some point but
karaoke in your life at some point but
karaoke in your life at some point but companies speak more and more about
companies speak more and more about
companies speak more and more about rockstars right and I think that this is
rockstars right and I think that this is
rockstars right and I think that this is pretty characteristic for the era that
pretty characteristic for the era that
pretty characteristic for the era that we live in the world’s most popular TV
we live in the world’s most popular TV
we live in the world’s most popular TV format is American Idol it works in
format is American Idol it works in
format is American Idol it works in every culture in every country
every culture in every country
every culture in every country everywhere in the world if they’re
everywhere in the world if they’re
everywhere in the world if they’re suicidal and one here participated but
suicidal and one here participated but
suicidal and one here participated but it works you know in Saudi Arabia in
it works you know in Saudi Arabia in
it works you know in Saudi Arabia in China in Sweden in the United States and
China in Sweden in the United States and
China in Sweden in the United States and the reason for that is that it taps into
the reason for that is that it taps into
the reason for that is that it taps into something much deeper in ourselves which
something much deeper in ourselves which
something much deeper in ourselves which is the idea that anyone can become a
is the idea that anyone can become a
is the idea that anyone can become a star and that is also the idea behind
star and that is also the idea behind
star and that is also the idea behind the social contract of Education that
the social contract of Education that
the social contract of Education that anyone can make the rags-to-riches
anyone can make the rags-to-riches
anyone can make the rags-to-riches journey and if we elaborate a bit more
journey and if we elaborate a bit more
journey and if we elaborate a bit more on this if you consider the United
on this if you consider the United
on this if you consider the United States of America the United States is
States of America the United States is
States of America the United States is built on the idea that if you’re
built on the idea that if you’re
built on the idea that if you’re talented if you’re skilled and willing
talented if you’re skilled and willing
talented if you’re skilled and willing to work hard enough you should be able
to work hard enough you should be able
to work hard enough you should be able to achieve social mobility but I think
to achieve social mobility but I think
to achieve social mobility but I think the question is are we ready to take
the question is are we ready to take
the question is are we ready to take this idea to the world and can we and by
this idea to the world and can we and by
this idea to the world and can we and by doing this can we open up so that
doing this can we open up so that
doing this can we open up so that everyone will have access and truly have
everyone will have access and truly have
everyone will have access and truly have equal access to opportunities thank you
equal access to opportunities thank you
equal access to opportunities thank you very much
very much
very much [Applause]
”
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