Member company Changemaker Educations identifies the labor market's future needs for skills and abilities, and then designs innovative and effective training courses. This autumn, they start two vocational training courses in game development, UX and experience design at Karlstad Innovation Park / The Great Journey: Experience Designer and Indie Game Developer. Here parts Per Myrén, head of education at Changemaker Educations, with him of how they experienced the corona crisis, so far. About how they were affected, how Värmland as a digital region can move forward and how they see the future.
How has the corona crisis affected your business?
We are losing the traditional business activities: consulting assignments at companies and organizations, renting premises and our international students/contacts do not dare to come here. On the other hand, we seem to be able to change things up a lot regarding on-line learning and lifelong learning, it opens up for completely new collaborations and views of what learning is and can be. Digitization is not just a tool for remote work - it's a completely new learning that takes place, it's development processes and new business models - a nextflix subscription for education is our future.
Have some of your services increased or decreased in demand?
Everything about education, which is already our biggest area. This is the state's and the Norwegian University of Applied Sciences' answer to everything: put more people in education.
How do you think the digital sector in Värmland will be affected?
Absolutely huge. Now if we go into this properly, thoughtfully and quickly. Otherwise, it will have just as much negative impact.
What do you think is required for Värmland to become an even more attractive digital region in the future?
The same that is required of all other regions: to keep up, test and experiment – making sure to move from good thoughts and ideas to testing in reality and changing, rejecting and innovating along the way.
How can Compare contribute to that development?
Seriously advance learning on the front lines and by having a constant readiness for change. Isn't that what we've learned from Conona now?
What lasting changes do you think the corona crisis will lead to, seen from a digital perspective?
That we have had to think. Let's get something good out of self-isolation. Let's use the isolation for introspection and political reflection. Finally, let us realize that we only have one world and that it is a shared responsibility to take care of it. And let us then return to the community, full of action and willingness to change. Use that insight to involve more people in the digital development, not just the digitally saved.
That we finally understand that the development costs for digitized goods and services are falling. Production costs are heading towards zero. And the distribution costs become negative, i.e. the producer has to bear costs for the product not to be distributed. So a completely new logic.
Can you tell us about any exciting venture you have going on?
We are starting up two new courses at Karlstad Innovation Park in September: indie game developers and experience designers. 50 students who will make a big impression, disrupt and create, in Karlstad, in Värmland, in the world!
What has happened in your company in a year?
We have grown in Karlstad with two or three people and have two more training courses on site. We continue to drive innovation and digitization forward in Värmland!
In conclusion, Per shared some personal card questions:
What will you do this summer?
Take care of my old mother remotely and hopefully in the so-called reality as well...swimming with the family!
What is your best holiday tip in Värmland?
Secret baths in the Slorudsälven.
App I can't live without?
Wordfeud game app. With it, I have daily contact with my mother. Social and fun!
What will be the next big digital service?
Hmm, million dollar question. Don't know, sorry.
You can read more about the courses here Experience Designer and Indie Game Developer.