THEMES

The 3-day Maker Faire will have three distinct themes. Each day of the Maker Faire will focus on one theme:

Today, the world has become very dynamic today. Change is the only constant. Today, we are living in a digital economy. The digital economy is fuelled by the Internet, social media, smart devices, and machines. Digital products & services are driving the digital economy. Digital technologies such as IoT, Robotics, AI, Blockchain, virtual & augmented reality, and many others at the heart of today’s digital products & services. These technologies are also converging with each other to make products & services smarter and better. Greater adoption of smart products & services is not only bringing benefits, convenience and comfort to people’s lives, but is also leading to digital disruption. The disruption can have a positive or negative impact on individuals, businesses or industries. For e.g., it can bring new products & services to the market. At the same time, it can adversely impact existing ones and put some companies out of business.

As the adoption of digital technologies, products & services become more mainstream, we are seeing a digital transformation of how we work, play and live our lives. Slowly, we are moving into what may be called as the “Second Machine Age”. Earlier, machines used to assist humans in physically demanding jobs. But, now, smart machines using IoT, AI and Robotic technologies can gather data, analyse, learn from past experiences, take decisions, and act on their own. Self-driving car is a good example of this. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is also accelerating many of these advances. In the not-so distant future, we might see the emergence of a machine-driven economy where machines will produce and consume goods in the society using crypto currencies.

Given the rapidly changing scenario, today’s youth needs to continuously re-skill and upskill themselves to survive in the new age. We recommend 3 unique skills that students need to acquire in order to thrive in the age of smart machines:

1. Digital Tools & Technologies: The first one is about acquiring knowledge and skills in emerging digital technologies. Become digitally literate. Learn how to use digital tools and technologies. Don’t start from scratch, don’t re-invent the wheel. Leverage digital platforms to create, innovate and build things faster and smarter.

2. 21-st Century Skills: The second one is about acquiring 21^st-century skills. Acquire skills in problem-solving, creative and critical thinking abilities, learn to collaborate than compete, be a self-learner, take ownership and be self-driven, have patience and perseverance in achieving your goals, develop self-confidence and learn how to communicate effectively.

3. Entrepreneurship: The third one is about acquiring Entrepreneurial skills. As more and more jobs get automated by smart machines, we need to move from being a job seeker to a job creator. Acquire skills in Entrepreneurship. Learn how to use the skills and talents you have to create value in the society. Even if you do not wish to get into business, you still need Entrepreneurial skills to survive in today’s world. If you focus on these three things, I am sure you can not only survive, but also thrive in the upcoming age of Smart Machines.