Get to Know: Tomas Karlsson – our Head of Channel Services

We want to help you get to know the many exciting and interesting people we have in the KnowledgePoint team. First up, we have Tomas, our Head of Channel Services.

 

 

Quickfire industry-learning question round, ready?

How do you think AR and VR will impact the learning market in the next 12 months? 

I think there is a massive growth opportunity for training providers to build in AR/VR in their training programs. We will see many more such training courses emerge, especially for skills and processes that are multi-staged and normally require hands on practice in order to fully master them.

 

Which sector do you think is going to be the next to embrace the use of AR/VR/3D skills?  

Immersive is already being used to deliver training but it is nowhere near its potential. I believe that the training industry will hence see lots of growth through the use of AR/VR now that learners have started appreciating the benefits of virtual training delivery.

 

What has been something that has surprised you in your role? 

We work with training organizations in more than 40 countries and I have been positively surprised to see the level to which all of these businesses have adapted to the market conditions throughout the pandemic and the various lockdowns. It certainly has been challenging but many training providers have at the same time been very quick to adapt their courses and outreach activity to virtual delivery.

 

Do you think that there is a place for immersive technology (VR/AR) in more sectors than is currently being used?

A good way of thinking of immersive is as a centralized function that can add value to more or less all industries and sectors.

• From creating cool gaming or marketing experiences for consumers,
• providing engineers with the opportunity to test products and workflows digitally before anything needs to be built,
• to training mechanics, doctors and other professions that on complex work processes.

 

Let’s get personal…

Describe your favourite moment or experience from your education

I wrote my thesis in collaboration with a company that partly implemented our solution. I found that very rewarding as it was the first time I could see the practical use of the work and effort I had put in.

 

What have you learnt in the last 12 months?

It has proven to be much easier for businesses across multiple industries to leverage digital tools than what we initially thought. I believe that this is an encouraging sign for the future of work, which will need to be highly digitised and much more flexible and adaptable than what we were used to before the pandemic.

 

What do you wish you’d been taught in school and why?

Most of my education, as many other programs, was centered around teaching theoretical concepts. I believe that it is important to complement this by showing students the practical implementation of what they are being taught. As a student I would’ve appreciated seeing guest speakers from industry and working on projects that had the potential for real-world implementation.

 

What could you give a 30-minute presentation about with no advance preparation?

The value that the Autodesk and Unity training partnerships can bring to learning organizations 😊

 

Tell us a surprising or a fun fact about you.

I speak five languages – Swedish, English, German, French and Spanish

 

As the UK further eases coronavirus restrictions, what are your predictions for the learning market? 

I believe that blended learning is here to stay. Some training will still be more effective if it’s delivered in the classroom but a lot of people have now experienced the flexibility that learning delivered online can bring. Blended models that combine these approaches will get a lot of traction as we move forward.

 

Workplace learning and careers…

When you think of a good leader, what qualities and skills do you associate with them? 

Good leaders find a balance between listening and encouraging their teams to contribute at the same time as they resolutely  drive towards decision making and implementation.

 

What conditions do you believe are vital for effective learning? 

A key factor for any learning to be effective is the motivation of the learner. As learners we need to see a relevance of what we are being taught in respect to our existing or future job situation. I believe that both employers and training providers need to think more carefully about how training programs align with job roles, projects and specific tasks.

 

What do you expect from the workplace of the future? 

I believe that we will all need to be more flexible. Employers will need to update policies, processes and tools to facilitate a blended working life. As employees, we will need to be open to learning new skills and revisiting our established ways of working.

 

What values/motives drive you in the workplace? 

Learning new skills and gaining new experiences is important to me. I’ve therefore sought out roles that were part of a change process and worked in businesses that are on a journey to grow.

 

What is your preferred method of learning (repetitive reading, taking notes, cue cards etc) 

I am a learner who prefers to read, take notes, and reflect on my own before practicing or engaging with others.

 

What’s a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it? 

I have had multiple situations where I thought I had to deliver a project or a task all by myself. Over time I have learnt that being part of a team is a better recipe for success as you can achieve more by leveraging multiple people’s strengths.

 

And to end off, what is the best career advice you’ve ever received?

A classic: It’s ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them.