Introducing the Master-Apprentice model for the modern age!
There is an opportunity to reinvigorate the Master-Apprentice model within the high tech industry in order to meet the needs of both employers and ambitious youth. The model is time-proven, however needs to be refined and implemented within a modern context levering new technology.
“Apprenticeships have a long tradition, dating back to around the 12th century and flourishing by the 14th century. The parents or guardians of a minor would agree with a master craftsman or tradesman the conditions for an apprenticeship. This contract would then bind the youth for 5–9 years (e.g., from age 14 to 21). Apprentice’s families would sometimes pay a “premium” or fee to the craftsman and the contract would usually be recorded in a written indenture”.
The Apprenticeship model is well understood and has lasted the test of time over many centuries. Traditionally used for teaching practical trades, “modern apprenticeships range from craft to high status in professional practice in engineering, law, accounting, architecture, management consulting, and others”.
“Historically, there was hardly any formal training of craftsmen. The training took place under the watch of experienced craftsmen in working communities where the apprentice received continuous mentoring. The master demonstrated the correct way of completing a task, and afterward the apprentice attempted to imitate the master’s skills while being corrected for any mistakes”.
The Apprenticeship method of learning is recognized in modern learning theory, specifically Situated Learning and Cognitive Apprenticeship, and is recognized as also being well suited to learning where the emphasis is on the teaching of cognitive rather than physical skills.
Situated learning theory identifies the importance of presenting knowledge in an authentic context that involves its application. Learning should not be viewed as the transmission of abstract and contextualized knowledge between individuals, but a social process within certain conditions which include activity, context, and culture.
As the Apprenticeship method focuses on the progressive development of skills in a real-world situation, with a mentor, the Master-Apprentice model is ideally suited for achieving employer requirements for junior employee roles.
The Master-Apprentice model exists within a larger ecosystem where Apprentices eventually become Masters themselves. Over time, the Masters also take on more responsibility within the ecosystem to become Employers and Investors into new projects. The ecosystem hosts a continuous process of development and advancement.
This is an ideal time to relaunch the Master-Apprentice model within the Software Development industry as a distributed system where skills can be acquired and verified onto the blockchain, forming a smart CV which is owned by the individual.
Thunder University will provide the platform, the processes and the economy for high tech Apprentices to be offered and undertaken globally, achieving verified skills within a thriving ecosystem.
Proof of Model
Over the past 3 years, Industry Connect (100% under our operation) has developed and validated a business model that enables participants to rapidly learn new technologies and launch their careers as quickly as possible.
In a nutshell, it is similar to the way that masters and apprentices have worked together for many centuries. Apprentices need to find a skillful master; the masters teach the apprentice strictly and introduce the apprentice to a project. The apprentice learns by being directed and mentored through progressively more difficult tasks until the apprentice is ready to work independently.
During the year 2017, Industry Connect initiated ‘Project Billion’, to pilot this Master-Apprentice concept online, via a web and mobile app, within our own cohort of participants. During this time, we have achieved outstanding results and received extremely positive feedback. Industry Connect has further developed the Master-Apprentice process through automation, gamification and AI concepts introduced throughout the program. These have been well received by our participants and very effective in achieving participant results and gaining positive feedback.
Thunder Education Protocol
Thunder protocol allows the individual masters, education providers, employers and investors to adopt the proven model internationally.
Thunder.University Protocols
Thunder.University protocols will be deployed to Metaverse.Network as Smart Contracts.
We choose the Metaverse.Network ecosystem and develop our metaverse using Bit.Country.
Why Metaverse.Network
- Ethereum compatibility
- Metaverse native features
- Bridges to other network
- Talented team and supportive community
Why Bit.Country
- Ability to launch our own metaverse
- Benefit from the existing users
- Easy to build and develop
- Highly customizable world
- Friendly developer community
Stakeholders
Apprentice
The Apprentice investigates what subjects they are interested in and then finds relevant Masters. The Apprentice selects a Master to find out what commercial projects the Master can offer. The key skills gained will be recorded and stored on a decentralised blockchain along with the Apprentice’s profile. Skills and experience will be owned by the individual apprentice.
Master
The Master decides which Apprentices they will accept. By training Apprentices, skilled practitioners simultaneously earn revenue and progress their project tasks and product development whilst training prospective talent for their team. Masters are reviewed by Apprentices and insights are fed back to the Master so that programmes and projects can be constantly improved.
Employer
The Employer can create programmes to attract Apprentices who want to join mentored programmes. The Employer can also create a scholarship programme for the Apprentice to learn specific domain knowledge required by the business. They can also run competitions with reward incentives to identify Apprentice talent as future employees, overcoming a key obstacle to business growth.
Angel
The Angel has the opportunity to invest at the very beginning of a project life cycle. By observing a team culture and identifying true entrepreneurs, The Angel is able to de-risk their investment as they get involved in the creation of the new business model as it develops. Angel investment incentivises both The Master’s project and training programmes, which has a multiplying effect on available resources for developing the project.
TUUT Token
The TUUT token is a utility and governance token. It is the native token within Thunder to pay for services throughout the network and reward participants for activities within the ecosystem.
The use cases for the TUUT and smart contracts on Thunder are as follows:
Apprentice
– Pays for training programs and services
– Takes out loans to cover program fees
– Earns tokens for specific project work or other activities
Master
– Is paid for teaching and mentoring Apprentices within programs
– Issues loans and scholarships
– Remunerates Apprentices where appropriate
– Receives investment into projects
Angel Investor
– Provides seed funding to projects
– Issues loans, scholarships or rewards
– Pays for access to premium platform information
Employer
– Rewards employees who develop new skills
– Issues loans, scholarships or rewards
– Pays for access to premium platform information
The Artificial Intelligence
– Pays for access to AI insights and processes
Z Dojo — local shared space and incubator
– Is paid for providing shared, bookable office space and meeting rooms
– Is paid for office consumables (e.g. printing, coffee)
The University 2.0
Thunder is a platform to enable industry-oriented education which is incentivized by the token economy for the first time ever in human history.
Thunder is the new university based on a combination of learning and hands-on experience taught by skilled practitioners. The Thunderous platform takes the proven success of the Master-Apprentice model established at Industry Connect to the next level. (So far, $21 million dollars worth of salaries have been earned annually by Industry Connect participants!)
Not only does this kick-start an individual’s career with an immediate paying role, but also establishes an ecosystem that connects Apprentices with Masters and Employers, and also Angel Investors keen to invest in exciting new ideas. The decentralized model will remove unnecessary intermediaries and incentivize the industry more efficiently.
The Thunder platform delivers Verified Skills & Experience as the new “degree” and certificate” via its Smart CV — think of it as a decentralized LinkedIn.
Thunder is a greenhouse for entrepreneurs, a continuous talent pipeline and a pool of opportunities!
The Global Market
The technology currently drives economic growth and there is an increasing number of people entering technology fields. Every industry will require innovation and high tech to compete and grow into the future.
We believe that everyone will need to learn technology skills to some degree. As technologies continue to evolve fast, and everyone develops their own preferred learning style, only personalized and contextual learning through experience will successfully meet the exponential growth of the future industry.
Thunder will reenergize the Master-Apprentice model, as used for centuries, for the benefit of modern economies. With the technology of modern software and decentralization (Blockchain), we have found the solution to reinvigorate it.
We believe anyone in the world who is looking for a Master will come to Thunder and start their journey towards learning new technology skills.
We envisage, in the future, candidates will refer to the Masters who have validated their skill level, instead of degree qualification, throughout their job search.
We believe there will be at least 1 billion people wanting to learn new, verifiable skills at different stages of their lives. This will consist of new learners, upskilling professionals, as well as people who want to change their current career. New technologies come along quickly and people will need to constantly learn new skills in order to achieve success in the tech sector.
