INTERVIEW Justin Harling - CAE Technology Services
“Without all areas acting together digital transformation is predestined to fail.”
Justin Harling, CEO - CAE Technology Services
Committed to Transformation
The education sector is facing a challenge like never before. How do you maintain a high level of teaching when
your pupils are distributed? In this interview Justin Harling, CEO of CAE Technology Services, responds to some
of the biggest challenges facing the education sector right now
Comms Business Magazine
(CBM): What kind of
challenges is this sector
facing right now?
Justin Harling (JH): In slightly
diering ways all levels of
the education sector are
facing signicant challenges
from needing to adapt the
way that students expect to
learn, maintaining standards,
competing on an international
scale, all within budgets that
are being outstripped by the
pace of change. e UK has
one of the strongest education
brands in the world, but it
must adapt to maintain this
position and be open to cultural
change to realise the benets
of pedagogical innovation that
their own access to a device and
suitable broadband at home to
engage with digital learning
experiences. It is essential that
this is addressed as technology
is considered.
CBM: How are digital
technologies like AI and IoT
impacting the sector?
JH: Because of the fundamental
requirements that need to be
addressed to successfully run
IoT or AI technologies there
is still a highly signicant role
for infrastructure. e services
at not traditional or legacy,
but are core to the success of
future technology adoption.
e ability to then enhance this
with software and cloud based
solutions allows the partner to
be unique in their oering, but
only if they are able to commit
to delivering against learning
outcomes and understanding
the goals of the institution.
CBM: Which products and
services are selling well?
JH: Wireless and solutions that
enhance this technology by
providing more accurate location
data down to student and room
level are a conversation in every
institution. e use of video and
how this can be augmented to
deliver an immersive learning
experience still has a long way
to go.
Now is the time to drive
change and use a disruptive
period to accelerate projects that
transform student experience.
e major issue will be a
willingness to adopt the cultural
change that must happen
alongside this if outcomes are
going to be achieved. So, there
is a signicant opportunity,
but only for those who are
committed t Justin Harling, CEO of CAE Technology Services o transformation.
is such a signicant topic. In
addition to teaching there is
also a major focus on the use of
physical space, in terms of both
cost and suitability for learning.
e impact of Covid-19 will
only put further emphasis on
what role buildings play in the
future of education.
CBM: Is the Channel equipped
to digitally transform this
sector? How can the Channel
equip this sector for digital
transformation or even enable
them to develop disruptive
strategies themselves?
JH: e channel is equipped to
facilitate digital transformation,
but it requires an institution
to fundamentally believe in a
disruptive strategy from senior
leadership and faculty. Without
all areas acting together digital
transformation is predestined
to fail. e technology will only
deliver benets if it is deployed
to achieve a clear learning
outcome and it is then fully
adopted. Equipping students
of any level with a piece of
technology only delivers benets
if it is connected securely to
an adaptive infrastructure
and most importantly, there
is content that augments the
learning experience. A further
point is the consideration of not
creating a divide in learning
experiences through digital
poverty. It is not possible to
assume that every student has
28 | Comms Business Magazine | June 2020 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
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