The diversity of international markets is essential for overall sustainable growth and innovative opportunities for global cooperation. The past has shown that individual countries have developed rapidly at the expense of others. This is a model that will not, and must not, work for the future. During the transition to digital worlds, the markets of the future will be opened to new forms of collaboration and comprehensive networking. It must not be forgotten that international markets are based on the local production of goods and services, including crafts, ecological agriculture, medical care, and knowledge of how markets adapt dynamically.

Logistic systems do not work everywhere as they do in industrialized countries; energy must be obtained differently than reliable infrastructure for production and services. Agriculture needs irrigation and/or protection from the sun and rain, and it takes people everywhere who are well-trained to recognize this holistic sustainable understanding with all its facets.

New markets are developing through systems of cooperation and networking. Through fair competition, people create new relationships that support each other for the benefit of those who operate and use the market. There is a need to rethink, to think differently, and to collaborate goal oriented.

How can this be achieved?

Sustainable and ecological management must dominate international markets. New systems, as well as new markets, are needed to fathom innovative solutions to develop internationally, especially in new kinds of learning and upskilling, new professional fields, new tasks, and a holistic understanding of systems in digital and global transformation. Following the procedure of the “6 Cs“ guiding new markets:

  • Context,
  • Cognition
  • Can do
  • Caring,
  • Communication,
  • Collaboration,

The digital transformation has given rise to new jobs and dismantled traditional ones. New market growth has created new services while rendering some physically demanding human labor obsolete. The growing new markets are based on qualifications such as “data analysts,“ “data transformers,“ “data translators,“ and many others rooted in ICT and STEM qualifications. What is missing are qualified individuals for STEM and ICT professions, and there is a need for more women in these businesses. They often do not represent future services and competencies and growing roles.

(Fig.1).

Fig. 1: World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report – insight report March 2021 (page 60) Without opportunities for reemployment and re-deployment into emerging roles, the share of women in the labor market could shrink further, affecting the prospects of new markets as well. That‘s why it is essential to initiate education in the early stages of professional education and at all levels of school education.

The use of digital solutions, complex automated systems, automated digital factories, or smart organic farming requires consequent changes in the use of skills and abilities to develop new competencies. Many companies‘ human research departments have been searching for new skills and talents required for transformation for several years.

Transparency between the responsibilities and roles demanded by new markets, the speed of change, the use of individual competencies and talents, and the identification of gaps in understanding international markets must be built globally, contextually, and interculturally.

To follow this wise sentence: “If you want it, measure it. If you can‘t measure it, forget it.“ — Peter F. Drucker. It is important to develop tools and assessments as guidelines for the new market in education, following non-standardized tailor-made measurements or checks to evaluate the competence level for defining roles or management tasks in different contexts.

The market for education and upskilling has shifted from classroom workshops over a more extended period to individual or small group coaching or mentoring. To manage this, virtual tools aid in the need to cross intercultural boundaries and engage in interdisciplinary group work. By checking the competencies and filling the competence gaps through coaching or mentoring individuals, groups can develop better high-performance levels. Fundamental to this kind of assessment are the processes in new market segments, the informational procedures, and the cultural requirements of networking systems.

Diversity must be handled in a new way to build up equality and efficiency. While technical facts can be measured and evaluated, the human factor, “the people business,“ must be the next step in the growth of markets. Education 4.0, designed and guided by collaborative competences, represents the new soft skills. The new career path involves a transition from a single performer to a team performer over a collaborative developer.

In early 2020, just before the outbreak of the pandemic worldwide, I was in Ghana, establishing an NGO named Christian Rural Aid Network (CRAN). This visit provided me with numerous insights into the unique challenges faced in African countries. I witnessed the resilience of people in their pursuit of education, the significance of attaining higher education, and the incredible motivation displayed by children and young people. I recognized the importance of basic necessities such as school clothes and a warm meal, particularly for those striving to learn.

The impact of this visit resonated with me, and during the pandemic, I initiated efforts with my South African partners to create opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people. The goal was to provide them with insights into potential development paths, job profiles, understanding business cultures, and realizing their potential to achieve their dream jobs.

To facilitate this, we organized virtual meetings with school classes, primarily consisting of disadvantaged children and young people from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ghana, and Cameroon. We developed a program designed to build “bridges “ for them, showcasing the significance of school education in shaping their future professional and international careers.

Following the ethos of Saint-Exupéry‘s “Little Prince“: “If you want to build a ship, don ‘t drum up people to collect wood and don ‘t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea, “ women entrepreneurs worldwide shared their career paths and professions. Interactive small group tasks were collaboratively solved and virtually presented, with additional homework assigned to enhance the young people ‘s self-confidence and initiative.

The primary focus in Africa and other parts of the world was on young girls and women, aiming to instil confidence and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM fields and modern computer technologies.

Through the diagnostics of basic professions in Africa and an understanding of the requirements of modern industries and agriculture, new competence checks were developed. These checks serve as a guide for professional and study fields, aiming to provide orientation. Initially conceived as an experiment during the pandemic, the success of this initiative led to the decision to formalize and continue this “market niche “ with the format “Education 4.0 “ in African countries.

The African Virtual Bridging School (AVBS)

In 2021, as a start-up in South Africa, the African Virtual Bridging School (AVBS) operated virtually worldwide, establishing networks between youth, private companies, and predominantly high-level female entrepreneurs. AVBS collaborated with a platform tools high performer in Cyprus, managing online marketing, social media, and website design with specialists in Ethiopia, to develop and expand a learning platform.

The flagship program, the “Work Orientation Workshop “ (W.O.W), spans three virtual workdays. Participants engage in different topics and interact with entrepreneurs, gaining insights into the possibilities of the future. Particularly in the fields of STEM and ICT, the workshop addresses numerous questions, including:

• How do I present myself properly? • What are the best ways to communicate on the internet? • How can I learn interactively for myself and with others? • How do I become a HERO? • What does blockchain mean, and how does cryptocurrency help us?

High-level professionals from both the public and business sectors support these topics. Participants were captivated, absorbing knowledge to develop their own career paths and receiving individual feedback from the experts. The AVBS initiative successfully facilitated a dynamic and interactive learning environment.

How do we expand our market?

As supporters of EUTECH, we have facilitated numerous partnerships and collaborations with NGOs and private companies. The EUTECH SDG Awards competition in 2021 served as a catalyst for our startup, compelling us to do more. Participants in the Work Orientation Workshop (W.O.W) gained a profound understanding that entering a career path means much more when they can shape it themselves, recognizing that they are the primary drivers in finding their place in the new world.

The SDG Awards competition inspired these young individuals to embrace the idea that they can actively shape their future careers. It underscored the importance of new business models for freelancers or SMEs to enter new markets and foster growth. The “Health Care“ sector, in particular, emerged as a significant market, marked by collaborations between new private and public owners facilitated by innovative digital tools.

In Africa, there is a growing need for innovative markets and foundations, with a focus on education, organization, and development. The future of education will likely feature a blend of learning and practical experiences throughout the various stages of lifelong qualification. EUTECH‘s commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation has been instrumental in shaping these new perspectives and driving positive change.

Education 4.0 bridges play a crucial role in empowering young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to succeed in professional vocational training. They provide guidance on choosing the right field of study and offer support in managing the start of studies, aiming to reduce dropout rates and changes in course directions. This type of support is in demand not only in Africa but also in Europe, where young people, parents, and teachers often grapple with uncertainty about navigating the professional and academic world, making recommendations to youth challenging. However, penetrating the education market is complex and challenging.

Balancing self-assessment, avoiding overestimation or underestimation, and taking measured risks are essential elements for sustaining a successful career path. In the context of the internet and evolving technologies such as IoT, AI, Blockchain, etc., African youth may face challenges accessing the virtual world and may be more susceptible to misuse. New market segments are showing interest in affordable solutions for connectivity and achievable data costs in the poorest rural areas. Virtual learning emerges as an effective and accessible method, opening avenues in international markets.

The process involves searching for partners, establishing connections with SMSEs, developing innovative projects and managing large-scale initiatives. These efforts contribute to raising funds for individual project partners across different countries and cultivating a mindset for continuous learning to secure market leadership in an education niche. In the first year alone, over 200 young people from five African countries have participated, with experts from more than 10 countries in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean supporting the initiative. The foundation and bridges are laid for the growth of Education 4.0 in Africa.