As more jobs are automated and turned over to machines, studies predict over 40% of today’s jobs are going to disappear.

How are we preparing the next generation of leaders for the advances in

technology, and an increasingly uncertain job market?

Three years ago the Genius Apprentice Program was born on Richard Branson’s Necker Island, when leaders of global entrepreneur networks, including Roger James Hamilton’s Entrepreneurs Institute and Yanik Silva’s Mavericks 1000 were invited to talk about their 2020 vision. The Apprentice Program was dreamed up as a third option for high school and college graduates - an alternative to going straight into the job force, or into higher education.

Richard Branson was so excited about this - having forged his path into

entrepreneurship with the support of mentors - that he committed on the spot to go out and get an apprentice. Roger also left Necker Island with a commitment - to make an apprentice program for entrepreneurs a global reality.

Fast forward to 2017, when today the Genius Apprentice Program launches under the leadership of Susie Hutchison.

Four years ago, Susie joined Roger’s mentor program for high-level entrepreneurs, the Crystal Circle. The company she co-founded 20 years ago, Travel Bytes, had grown successfully to serve communications technology to some of the world’s largest global travel management companies.  

Through her humanitarian work in Nepal, Susie saw first hand the results of how sponsoring desperate street kids into local apprenticeships empowered the youth and provided some purpose in their lives.  After the Nepal earthquake in 2015,  Susie took a year away from her business, to spend time with the villagers in Nepal and Indigenous tribes in Australia, and saw what they needed to succeed was mentorship and shared knowledge more than handouts and aid.

Susie says, “Apprenticeships have been around forever, it’s how humans pass on wisdom from one generation to the next. The education system today has removed people from their mentees, and removed youth from their sense of purpose and empowerment”

"Wouldn’t it be wonderful if through these apprenticeships and purpose driven

promotions, that in a world with no money people would still want to work on our projects? We have the apprentices and organizations, and we want people running purpose driven projects inspired by the United Nations' sustainable goals.”

At one of Entrepreneur Institute’s weekend accelerator programs, Exponential

Entrepreneur, Susie connected with Cliff & Magen Magon, and under Roger’s mentorship worked on a plan for the Genius Apprentice Program, winning the Exponential Entrepreneur award. The idea was presented to a group of investors and through a meeting of minds between a group of people passionate about the cause, the movement grew from there and together with fellow investor Deborah Harris began working with Entrepreneurs Institute to launch the Genius Apprentice Program to the 600,000 entrepreneurs on the entrepreneur education platform, GeniusU.

The Ideal Model

What makes the Genius Apprentice Program different from an intern program?

The challenge with intern programs is that all of the stress and responsibility is on the business owner to come up with a training program for the intern. In small, entrepreneurial companies with a fast paced schedule, there's little time and no formalized training program available for interns. Which is why so many interns end up in administrative tasks or making coffee, without effective mentorship.

The Apprentice Program on the other hand, is designed as a triangle of stakeholders, between Sponsors, Experts and Apprentices. 

Sponsors who are running a business take on an Apprentice for a year, and choose speciality microdegrees that the Apprentice will take, that will add-value to their company. 

Certified GeniusU Experts then provide the microdegrees for the Apprentices to take online and then apply in practice. 

Apprentices earn and learn and gain certifications while applying what they learn with their Sponsors - and getting connected to a global community of entrepreneurs.

"Create the triangle, and the problem is 2/3s solved"- Pythagoras

Real life skills, from how to run a digital marketing campaign, to how to create a mobile app, set up an Amazon store, or provide exceptional service, are all Microdegrees being offered for the benefit of both Sponsors and Apprentices.

This month entrepreneurs are applying to be the first 30 sponsors to take on an apprentice as part of the first pilot program. Experts are already lined up to offer their Microdegrees to Genius U as part of the Genius Apprentice Program, and within the next year 10,000 apprentices will be joining the program.

To the Sponsors, Susie says, “For me, mentors were the people who really shaped where I went and where I got to and gave me the confidence to start up my own business.”

“Whether you are in an organization and want to help people, or ignite your purpose within your business, come and be a mentor. Get an apprentice and you’ll be aligning with people at a bigger level where everyone wins, creating social businesses and social opportunities that are going to change the world.”

“As much as you have something to offer, an apprentice has as much if not more to teach you and offer your business.”

As to the future Apprentices, Susie says, “This is about igniting the youth. Come and have a GAP year, earn while you learn, and empower yourself to be an entrepreneur and make a difference. If you feel passionate about something you want to change in the world, this is the best way to get the support and the skills to make those changes."

Imagine a world where the skills and opportunities to run your own business are provided alongside the training to get a job or progress to a university.

The Genius Apprentice Program is being managed by Impact Dynamics Global, a non profit organisation established to ensure both transparency and to provide maximum benefit to all.

To apply to join the Genius Apprentice Program as a Sponsor or Apprentice, contact Susie@impactdynamicsglobal.com.