Redesigning Education for an AI World with Iliana Oris Valiente
Learning & Education Reimagined – Graduate Skills for future Business Success
Iliana Oris Valiente, who advises leaders on innovation and strategy, recently spoke at an Education-industry event sharing her insights on the future of work, education, workforce transformation, and AI-driven change.
Key Insights
The Institutional Paradox
Iliana Oris Valiente points to a striking irony: in an era of constant reinvention, the one institution every person on Earth interacts with – education– has changed the least. Yet even our current classroom model, which feels eternal, was once revolutionary.
In the 1800s, mass education was a radical experiment designed to meet industrial needs: workers who could read, count, and follow instructions. It lifted millions from poverty and built the middle class. The system worked brilliantly for its intended purpose.
But every system has a lifespan. Today’s children will likely live past 100 years old. Twelve years of baseline schooling designed for the industrial era cannot prepare them for a century of continuous learning and adaptation. The system isn’t broken – it’s simply outdated for the challenge ahead.
What the Private Sector Really Values
Through extensive conversations with executives across industries – from high-growth startups to major consumer brands – Iliana Oris Valiente has identified a clear pattern: the number one skill employers seek is agency– the ability to figure things out when no playbook exists.
This represents a fundamental shift. The future doesn’t reward raw knowledge or the ability to memorize facts. AI handles that better, faster, and cheaper than any human. Instead, the market rewards those who can unlock value, create innovative solutions, and navigate uncertainty with confidence.
This is where independent schools have a unique responsibility and opportunity. With the agility to pivot faster than public systems, private institutions can serve as the R&D labs for the future of learning.
Four Essential Skills for the Future
If educational institutions are to remain relevant, Iliana argues four critical skills must become foundational:
Physical and Nervous System Regulation In an age of overwhelming information and constant change, students need to manage their physical and emotional responses. Healthy bodies and minds aren’t luxuries – they’re prerequisites for learning and leading.
Focus In a digitally saturated world, the ability to control attention and concentrate deeply represents a significant competitive advantage.
Empathy Executives using tools like the “empathy toy” in corporate workshops achieve more in hours than months of traditional meetings. Whether students are six or 60, human connection and understanding drive collaboration and innovation.
Judgment The capacity to think creatively and objectively, applying human wisdom to complex situations, becomes invaluable when intelligence itself is commoditized.
The Path Forward
Education is rapidly becoming an investable asset class, similar to healthcare. With a billion people needing reskilling in the next four and a half years, the sector faces both disruption and opportunity.
Iliana predicts the next decade will be challenging – a “dip decade” requiring resilience and reinvention. But for institutions willing to embrace uncertainty, embed entrepreneurial thinking, and prepare students for a world where agency matters more than answers, the opportunity is unprecedented.
Ideal for events focused on: The Future of Work, Talent and Recruitment
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