The engine of growth in EdTech – Talent

The EdTech industry has continued its tremendous growth trajectory, even in these unprecedented times. In fact, its importance, significance, advantages, and possibilities have been brought to the fore in light of the recent universal challenges.

The sector is riding the crest of a wave at present, and its future does look bright indeed. On a personal level, my move from a largely banking/ financial/ telecom profile to EdTech has provided me with many enriching experiences and learning opportunities. In a short period of time, I have been able to gain valuable insights from interactions with multiple and dynamic global organizations. Naturally, these interactions have introduced us as an organization, to diverse cultures and viewpoints- and as a result, our thinking and actions have had to be dynamic as well. Consequently, the role of Human Resources as a function, has had to keep pace with this dynamism and diversity. The people function in the EdTech space has had to transform from appearing as a service or business partner, to actually being the most important cog in the decision-making machine. Am sure you agree this is true for most industries, especially in the last five to ten years.

A noble pursuit

The Eruditus group’s goal of making quality education accessible to everyone is a key and noble pursuit, and one that immediately drew me towards the company. What’s more, in the last year, we have made significant strides in this regard. To this end, we’ve made every effort to ensure the democratization of education by making sure that the cost of education doesn’t stand in the way of acquiring knowledge and a quality learning experience. Effectively, this also means that our students get the same level of education, certification and value addition if they were to study in-person at top universities such as Harvard, MIT or Columbia Business School. 

The future of the People function in EdTech

The People function in the sector is at a nascent stage at present, and will have to evolve further and leverage itself on technology and work dynamics in the future. For this, it will have to invest heavily in talent growth and development, as well as talent identification and segmentation. These aspects are key, and fortunately for us, the co-founders and my team are on the same page, as we collectively believe that people are our most important asset.

Remote working challenges

We’ve faced varying challenges to remote working from diverse regions in the world during the pandemic. For example, in Mexico, there were challenges surrounding internet access, and we’ve had to take the necessary steps to remedy this. In India, especially in Mumbai, where space at home is at a premium, our employees have had to overcome challenges concerning viable work spaces. That aside, we’ve also taken steps to address the overarching COVID-19 health concerns by giving our people access to telemedicine providers, providing them with opportunities for counselling, and by extending insurance cover to the dependants of employees — all of which were very well received and appreciated.

Innovations at work

We pride ourselves on our innovative thinking at the Eruditus group, and have three prime initiatives that we’d like to highlight as part of the HR function. The first being the Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee, which is committed to ensuring that diverse voices and viewpoints are always considered, and not discriminated against at the workplace. The second initiative has been our decision to allow our people the opportunity to move laterally within the organization, and across locations. We’ve also prioritized internal talent, as we look to staff for new and dynamic functions, and also recognize the need to upskill and reskill our people. Finally, our Jedi Knights program is another one of our initiatives that allows our high-potential talent to smoothly transition into organization leadership roles through a thorough and robust process.

Vision 2025

Very much like our forays into China and LATAM, there are large regions of the world that provide us with the opportunity to further democratize education in the next five years — prime amongst them being Europe. There is also the opportunity to offer education in a variety of in-demand languages in Europe and LATAM, and this could be something we could look to develop as well. Besides this, we’re also looking to partner with more educational institutions across the globe. Through these means, we endeavour to grow 10X in terms of revenue and students. Effectively, this means that we endeavour to touch the lives of half a million students in the next five years.

Passion for work

Our passion to make education accessible, as well as our values are what drive us at work every day, and I believe that if you want a successful career in EdTech, then we are looking for like-minded individuals to join us on the journey. If this is something you identify with, and do indeed have the right core competencies, head over to our careers site — a successful and fulfilling future could await you at the Eruditus group. 

This article first appeared on LinkedIn Pulse