Australian blockchain academics and educators are calling for stronger Web3 education in schools to prepare students for a world dominated by blockchain technology in future.
Blockchain Academy International's Huxley Peckham said that blockchain technology are already being used by 60 different industries today.
Academics Say Need More Web3 Education for More 'Qualified People'
Huxley Peckham, lead trainer at Blockchain Academy International, told Cointelegraph that “there is very little qualified talent in the blockchain industry, but there is a huge demand for qualified talent,” noting that at least 60 different industries around the world use blockchain technology.
Both Peckman and Blockchain Academy International founder Tim Bowman say it's time to rapidly expand blockchain education in schools in preparation for a shift in the world economy.
Peckham believes that blockchain education is important because it will allow “the next generation of strategists and advisors to really master the industry,” noting that knowing how to apply the technology will “really enhance their careers.”
He suggested that blockchain was a lucrative industry, noting that he saw various jobs in the industry asking for “A$300,000 plus incentives”.
Crypto and Web3 Jobs Report
— Developer DAO (🧱, 🚀) (@developer_dao) March 18, 2022
There are 12,000+ open crypto jobs.
Community, Developer Relations, and Corporate Development roles are 3x more in demand in crypto vs the rest of tech.
More about the state of the crypto and web3 job ecosystem 👇https://t.co/5P6F5cUrVg pic.twitter.com/uHANc0wtb8
Chris Berg, co-director of RMIT University Blockchain Innovation Hub, told Cointelegraph that it is crucial that students understand what the economy looks like and how it is changing as it relates to cryptocurrencies and blockchain.
Berg firmly believes that students “need to leave 12th grade with an understanding of the changing nature of the economy and the technologies that will impact it, one of which is blockchain.”
Meanwhile, Leigh Travers, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance Australia, told Cointelegraph that Australian students must have access to the same level of high-quality blockchain education as students seeking careers in traditional industries.
Travers noted that Binance Australia recently launched “Binance Internships” — allowing students to learn from the best in “Web3 and crypto” and hope to get a job outside of that.
At the same time, Binance Australia plans to form partnerships with Australian universities in order to establish a “Master’s Degree in Blockchain” to help people “enter Metaverse or build Metaverse for the future.”
Bowman noted that his academy “met with a school in Brisbane that will offer a Diploma in Applied Blockchain to Years 11 and 12 in 2023.”
Blockchain Academy International is the first blockchain education institution in Australia to be approved by the government to issue student loans. This allows Australians to enrol in their blockchain courses without paying upfront, but instead borrows from the Australian government in the same way university loans are provided.
Bowman said he believed young Australians were ahead in many ways, recalling a personal experience he had with a primary school principal who asked the sixth-grade class “Who knows what an NFT is?” This was followed by “half of the class raising their hands” before learning that “six students have purchased NFTs”.
A newly released survey report by Australian cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx estimates that Australia will gain 1 million new cryptocurrency holders over the next 12 months, bringing the country’s total cryptocurrency ownership to over 5 million.
