Are we on the verge of an innovation revolution in Paris?
Forget London, Hong Kong and the BRIC countries, the innovative awakening of the European Union is subtly happening in the old heart of Europe. Before you start smiling, there is no national pride in play whatsoever - I promise I'm a neutral observer with no cultural bias!
The last couple of weeks, the spotlight has clearly been on global entrepreneurship, creating a definite buzz around entrepreneurs as the next amazing thing.
A couple of week ago, the Paris Westin hosted the 11th annual Super Investor summit, a gathering of more than 250 LPs (limited partners). While deals were discussed, agreed or made, commitments exchanged and money transferred- others were working in the shadows - and please note, over their weekend - on the most important tasks of all: developing a skillful youth.
L'Ecole Européenne des Métiers de l'Internet (EEMI or the European School for Web Professionals) hosted their open weekend on the 19th and 20th of November, and one should have seen the crowd gathered at the doors of the honorable Palais Brongniart - or for the non-Francophiles/initiated, the old French Stock Exchange - to be part of this incredible adventure.
The brainchild of the three most successful French web entrepreneurs - Jacques-Antoine Granjon, founder of the first private, web based clothing auction house, Vente-Privee; Xavier Niel, founder of the French internet service provider Free; and Marc Simoncini, Founder of Meetic, the first European on-line dating website - the school opened only two months ago and already has 145 pupils.
"Based on a three year curriculum, the school gives students both solid general knowledge and a technical skillset,"
says Stephanie de Kerdrel, EEMI Head.
"We aim to create well-rounded, almost bespoke web professionals, experts in the most sophisticated web based techniques, from web architecture ,web design or web marketing . This is one of the most sought-after skillsets today, in an increasingly virtual and technology based world."
"And if we do transfer some entrepreneurial skills in the process, this is an added bonus for our economy,''
notes Marc Simoncini.
Silicon Valley on the River Seine? Maybe not yet, but this clearly represents the re-emergence of a secular trend: the somewhat forgotten apprenticeship. It is a wake-up call for teachers and educators alike. It is time to rediscover the value of learning a tangible profession to give young people immediate employability.
Let's face it, look where the hyper sophistication of our Excel based financial models and institutions has led us: the subprime crisis in the US and the Société Générale embezzlement to give just a few examples, not to mention a world economy on the verge of collapse.
Is this a call for change?
Absolutely, if you ask me,
It is time to go back to the fundamentals and the tangibles of a "real" economy with needed products and people recognized for and encouraged into innovation.
It is time to take the first step to make this happen, and develop a different type of education.
We are all responsible - no, we are all accountable for making this world an economically sustainable place for the future.
Teaching real jobs - and I almost want to say, to people with real values needs to come first.
Dear Lucy: you clearly are my favorite person these days, and I apologize in advance, but right now I believe I have a much better answer than yours to the distressed mother's cry for help for her job-seeking daughter:
Forget about teaching a mere a skillset, or all the Chinese characters one can cram into one's head. To some extent, even forget the sophisticated strategy on differentiation and self-awareness set out by Paul Wilson, the Michael Page recruiter, in my previous post.
Let's strip back to basics and build it up again with a new philosophy, teach knowledge and ways to apply it to current reality. Make people learn and do, teach skills, teach a profession.
In this field, entrepreneurs are taking the lead - are again taking the lead, I should say. It is not surprising, actually. They are merely applying their natural ways of thinking, their natural problem solving skills to a higher level of complexity, moving from a market need to a social need. They are working on a business plan for society, with potentially the same five big questions you learn at Harvard Business School or any top flight MBA program:
What is needed? A future for young graduates.
Why is it needed now? Because the world economy is in major crisis and mass youth unemployment is looming...and because the world is increasingly web-based and technology-driven.
What is our solution? Developing a self-sustaining workforce educated in the exact skillsets they need.
Why are we the best to do it? Because as entrepreneurs we create an average 3-5 jobs any given year, and some even go up double-digit figures. We know what we are talking about. We know how to cut through complexity and stay fluid in our strategy and we will deliver. If we fail, we will try again...
This is inspiring - for all of us.
And scary - at least for me, because it throws into sharp relief the lack of vision, leadership and flexibility of our political classes. The need to re-kindle the spirit of entrepreneurship in our youth," is a UK government top priority.
Guess what? The entrepreneurs beat you to it...and the French on top of that!