training & education

Dr Donald Wedding, Kaustuv Ghosh and Matthew Lamons founded the Meridian 121 initiative to bring the most fundamental as well as the most advanced applied AI and datascience courses to Asia. The service of training and education is produced and financed by Advanced Technology Management Consultancy Pte Ltd, known by its brand Nxtgencode. Distribution is undertaken by Nxtgencodes’ network of partners.

Laying down existing courses for end-users would be a disservice towards them. Instead, a consultative approach is followed, the key to success being, to listen well. The dynamics are different in each institution and are largely informed by the compulsions in each country. For some, sending trained manpower to work overseas is a priority. For others,there's a need to supply a steady pipeline of talent with newly acquired and relevant skills. Some markets are regional hubs while others are large in their own right. Thereafter we craft courses.

The incredible library of raw material and experience that we have, enables us to quickly build out a program for a university, a private educational institution or a corporate. Durations vary, as do component modules and the number of hours for each. There is a need to recognize the differing instincts and appetites of freshmen vs those who are nearing graduation. Then there are those who want to return to university on flexible terms,corporate staff sponsored by their firms and business owners who want to know more. This is a very complex landscape and it will only get more complicated and challenging as technology and economic impact brings fluidity to the job market. This is where a differentiated experience is called for.

In the traditional world, one went to class, sat for exams, graduated and joined work. A working person might go online to find and make use of a course. Those will still continue. But the velocity at which needs are changing must be noted. Job profiles are changing fast, so are business imperatives, supply chains and compliance requirements. Access to education and knowledge, curated or otherwise, is shifting too. The recent debates over job skilling and employment availability that we have been hearing is of course one manifestation. But there is another debate one often tends to overlook. That is the future of the SME and the freelancer, the two segments which constitute the overwhelming majority of businesses and contribute significantly to GDP in every country.

How does one train them, what should be course content, how much tech vs marketing vs soft skills and so on. Our Asian experience, combined with a keen knowledge of what consumers of training and education need, come together with capability to craft programs that address real needs. Unlike large IT training companies, we are anti-scale. That means very detail and quality oriented, a lot of emphasis on the faculty and very committed to our partners. If you are an university, a specialised school or a company, please tell us what end outcomes in AI and data science learning you want to get done. We will design the right courses, provide all the courseware, train your faculty, conduct some courses directly and ensure everyone is properly assessed. The horizons for your students and employees will extend further.