Metcampus: Bringing advanced digital skills to everyone

With the recent introduction of AI tools to the general public, the digital landscape is rapidly changing. As workplaces adopt this technology, this means major changes for many people. Jobs will be revolutionized, not in a few years, but according to the founder of Metacampus, in the next 12 months. With an estimated 30 percent of the active working population in the European Union lacking basic digital skills, this prediction could prove devastating for those in the workforce who are not versed in these digital tools.

Metacampus is a startup that wants to prepare the workforce for these changes. In May, the company officially launched its continuous learning platform that gets people up to speed on AI, web3, blockchain and the metaverse. “We are actually an onboarding company more than an education company,” says Pere Pérez Ninou, Founder and CEO of Metacampus. “You don’t study the blockchain, you use the blockchain. Until you start using the blockchain, you fail to comprehend how it works. It’s the same when talking about digital identity or self-custody.”

Professor Dr. Tom Furness, dubbed the “grandfather of virtual reality,” notes, “all of these emerging tools fit into the concept of the metaverse and its spatial web. This is where business, education, health and well-being and play all merge into three-dimensional persistent places accessed and accelerated through the next generation of immersive computing technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Together, these digital tools can provide the next leap in the growth of our civilization, but only if we are instructed and practiced in using them.”

Staying current

So how does Metacampus’s tool work in practice?

The AI-driven platform is modular, with 20 different channels from decentralized finance to legal to marketing analysis and research. Users decide if they want the expert-led content as a podcast, video, text, or Twitter thread, as well as the frequency of the content. Users then build their network and join virtual communities within the platform to enhance their learning.  Users could even use a virtual reality headset to interact with these communities.

All of this comprehensive knowledge is registered on a user’s digital wallet because as Pérez Ninou says, “Users are building their CV on blockchain. Very soon, employers will no longer care about what you studied 10 years ago. They will only care how relevant and current the knowledge is.”

While individuals can always make use of its learning platform, the company is mainly targeting large corporations like consultancies and large brands as its clients. By helping employees understand this new and always evolving digital world, these companies will better advise on client strategies that stay ahead of the curve, understand how consumer habits are changing, or implement blockchain to certify its processes across the value chain.

Metacampus can tailor the content according to a client’s needs, including from department to department. For the marketing department, they need to be up to date with the latest tools to optimize content creation, marketing analysis and research, while the compliance and legal team needs to focus on the constantly changing regulations. Companies can also use Metacampus’s platform to onboard key hires that may not be familiar with these tools.

Training the trainer

Metacampus focuses on “training the trainer.” By educating the heads of communities or departments, these managers can put in place new processes and train their own community members. “There is a level of AI that will affect pretty much everyone. AI will be integrated into day-to-day software packages and then it will become a tool in the same way that people know how to use Excel or PowerPoint,” Pérez Ninou said. “Those who stop learning quickly fall behind.”

In much the same way, Metacampus’s platform is ever evolving to stay current with the market. The content is constantly refreshed because technology is changing so rapidly.

“Three months later, the content is old news. We’re building the future in real time. If we want to increase the efficiency of the learning, then it always needs to be very relevant,” he said.

This is the new revolution of continuous learning. And it’s made possible through AI because, not only is Metacampus’s platform teaching it to its users, but it is also utilizing AI in the tool itself. The tool learns about a user’s background, industry, personality and skills and then it personalizes the journey.

This is critical in Metacampus’s vision. In future developments of the platform, it will become a sort of vocational coach. All the new jobs of the future — from virtual designers to prompt engineers — require a certain type of personality and a specific set of skills. The platform will guide users through these options and then stay with them throughout the job.

“With the rapid application of advanced technology throughout society, continuous learning and micro learning for all are more important than ever to make sure no one gets left behind. The third generation web or so-called ‘spatial web,’ comes with great opportunities. Metacampus promotes and facilitates inclusive and accessible learning in and around these opportunities,” said Andy Lürling, founding partner of LUMO Labs.

The company is based in Spain, but along with its recent product launch, it is also growing its presence in the Netherlands. Bart Geers, Commercial Director of the Northern Europe region, recently joined the team to grow its base of Dutch customers. “Even in the Netherlands – which is quite a skilled economy – so many people are missing the digital train. We have a society that is becoming a digital layer economy.

“Big companies will disrupt or be disrupted,” says Geers.

On High Tech Campus Eindhoven, Pérez Ninou said Metacampus has a vision of developing a potential Experience Center: “People can start seeing a more tangible interpretation of these concepts and these technologies. People experiencing innovation is what drives a mindset change.”

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