Abstract:

Otermans Institute (OI) is a global company upskilling unserved and underserved populations with the mission of making them employable. Currently working in nine countries, supported by UKRI grant funding, OI is providing its solutions physically, digitally, and using Artificial Intelligence. From remote schools to foundation-run organisations to UN camps in Iraq, OI has supported over 25,000 unserved learners to date. OI is aiming to upskill 750 million learners by 2025 to make them more employable and to do this OI has created a one of a kind artificial intelligence-driven virtual trainer that can upskill learners in these populations at scale, in their own time, and based around individual learning and training needs. This solution called OI AI will provide a virtual teacher and trainer to almost anyone globally. The first version of the virtual trainer has been tested in a UNHCR BCF camp in Kurdistan, Iraq. Preliminary results have shown that this virtual trainer can provide continuous upskilling for such learners. With smart phone and internet penetration now increasing in such camps, the potential of it upskilling internally displaced and refugee learners is massive especially when over 500 million people are displaced by either violence or war globally. This presentation will discuss this study, its preliminary findings, and next steps targeting 5,000 such learners.

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, digital training, digital education, Edtech, virtual training.