👩‍💼 Apprenticeship models moving mainstream + NYC Summit

Happy Monday 👋

As lifelong learning evolves, innovative apprenticeship models are gaining traction, reshaping post-secondary education and addressing workforce issues. North Dakota’s registered principal apprenticeship, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, addresses teacher shortages and principal turnover, offering a master’s degree and mentorship, while in the UK, nearly half of parents now favor apprenticeships over university degrees, highlighting growing skepticism about traditional higher education’s ROI. This week, Apprentify and the Digital Learning Institute have launched a Digital Learning Designer Level 5 Apprenticeship Programme in the UK.

Indonesia is enhancing apprenticeship programs with Japan, and Australia has invested $232M in new apprenticeships. In the U.S., bipartisan support for cybersecurity apprenticeships underscores the shift towards practical, skills-based education. HolonIQ’s recent survey shows apprenticeships are a top priority for global education leaders in 2024.

🍎 Back to School Summit - NYC 10-11 Sep.

Tickets are selling fast for the HolonIQ Back to School Summit in New York on September 10–11 in New York City. The 'Back to School' Summit will bring together 500 influential leaders from Pre-K to Higher Education and Workforce, Philanthropic foundations, leading education companies and policymakers, major institutional investors, and technology leaders for roundtables, presentations, and networking. Register here. Agenda & Speakers.

💪 Power Moves

📚 Imagine Learning Enhances Sonday System for Science of Reading. Imagine Learning has launched an enhanced version of its Imagine Sonday reading program with added support for the Science of Reading approach.

👦 US Senate Passes Landmark Online Child Protection Bill. The US Senate has passed the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a major bill aimed at protecting young people online by extending privacy protections and requiring platforms to prevent bullying and sexual exploitation.

⚠️ Taylor & Francis Sells Data Access to Microsoft for $10M. Academic publisher Taylor & Francis, owned by Informa, signed a $10 million deal with Microsoft to provide access to its data without informing authors.

✍️ Life Skills

🎓 Turkey Introduces Vocational Education in Middle Schools. Turkey is introducing vocational education at the middle school level, with the first such school opening in Sivas. This marks a new era in vocational education in the country.

🎓 Tanzania Embraces Vocational Training for Youth. Tanzania is implementing vocational training programs in STEM to prepare its youth for future careers and drive economic growth.

📚 Santillana Forms Alliance to Boost Digital Skills in Latin America. Santillana, a major educational publisher, has announced a new alliance aimed at enhancing digital skills for ages 9-18 by 2024.

💰Deals of the Week

💸 WorkJam, a Montreal-based digital workplace company, received a $20M investment from Export Development Canada (EDC) to expand in the MENA region.

💰 Female Invest, a UK-based financial education service provider aimed at closing gender-based financial gaps, secured $11M in a Series A financing round led by Y Combinator. 

🌎 Educatly, an Eyptian education discovery firm, raised $2.5M in a Series A funding round led by Plus Venture Capital and TLcom Capital.

👨🏻‍💼 Masterplace, a Spanish AI-powered mentoring platform, raised $2M in seed funding 🤝 Oxford International Education, a private education provider in the UK, acquired Universal English, a UK-based professional language learning firm, and Universal Higher Education, a UK-based post-secondary institute.

🏆 2023 East Asia EdTech 150

The annual list of the most promising EdTech startups from East Asia where two-thirds of the cohort consists of Chinese and South Korean start-ups. Almost 90% of cohort members cater to K12 and workforce development, with a strong presence in STEAM/Coding and language learning landscapes. 

Glorang, a Korean AI-powered EdTech firm, successfully raised $6.5M in a Series A funding round led by Murex Partners, Korea Development Bank, and the Industrial Bank of Korea in the past month. The firm intends to expand its operations and launch a SaaS service for online test integration. One of HolonIQ’s trends for education includes the gradual integration of AI into education, and this recent funding activity supports the growing momentum behind this trend.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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