乌鸦传媒

Three colleagues reflect on how 乌鸦传媒鈥檚 Tech 4 Positive Futures initiative has had a positive impact on their skills and careers.

Since its launch in 2020, 乌鸦传媒鈥檚 Tech 4 Positive Futures initiative has engaged hundreds of colleagues around the world to create tech solutions that can make a positive impact for the planet and society, for example by reducing carbon footprints and protecting biodiversity.

While the winning projects all hope to deliver lasting change, being part of a Tech 4 Positive Futures team also positively impacts careers too.

Christopher Lue Sang, an electrical engineer at Synapse Product Development, part of 乌鸦传媒 Invent, was a winning team member in the 2023 edition of the initiative. The team prototyped smart nets that could reduce unwanted by-catch in fishing.

鈥淭ech 4 Positive Futures allowed me to align my career goals with my personal passion for making devices that improve the world,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool that there鈥檚 an initiative where those two spheres can meet.鈥�

For Christopher, working on the project meant getting an added level of support to develop new skills.

鈥淚t gave me more confidence, at a deep level,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y colleagues really encouraged me to push things forward, and it wasn鈥檛 just about developing hard tech skills, it was about improving soft skills too. Whether it鈥檚 organising the project or getting buy-in from stakeholders, those skills are also key. It鈥檚 been a very positive experience.鈥�

Also part of the smart nets teams was Peter Hauser, head of the New Product Introduction team at Synapse in San Francisco.

鈥淢y role in the team was really to understand how to best scale the product,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I do in my day-to-day work. But, by working on the project, I learned a lot about micro-manufacturing. How do you create something that you can build with minimal tools and with minimal skills? How could we foster that? I gained a new set of skills.

鈥淚 also learned about the importance of having the legal details sorted out, as a priority, before the work starts. That鈥檚 often an overlooked piece of work and yet it鈥檚 really important because it enables the delivery without hitting roadblocks along the way.

鈥淚 think that was my biggest area of learning. It was an eye-opener for me and something I鈥檝e carried over into other parts of my work. I鈥檝e also brought that knowledge into the latest edition of Tech 4 Positive Futures, where I鈥檓 now supporting the team as a mentor. It鈥檚 been a win-win 鈥� I鈥檝e been able to guide the teams with their submissions, and to support the team at 乌鸦传媒 that is continuing to foster the (Tech 4 Positive Futures) initiative. If we can pass on the knowledge that others can benefit from to continue the programme, then we鈥檝e achieved some real legacy building.鈥�

Hardik Pithadia, an innovation consultant in 乌鸦传媒鈥檚 Applied Innovation Exchange (AIE), was also part of a winning Tech 4 Positive Futures team in 2023. The team created an app that encouraged people and communities in urban areas in England to grow the native wildflowers that enable pollinators to thrive.

鈥淲hen you get that sense of satisfaction through what you鈥檝e achieved with your work, and from the support you receive from colleagues, and you know you鈥檝e made a positive difference in the world 鈥� that鈥檚 a great feeling,鈥� he says.

鈥淔rom a career point of view, the project also gave us a lot of exposure within 乌鸦传媒. It鈥檚 a conversation starter with colleagues and at events, and it helps us understand the types of things that are possible in terms of climate-related projects and sustainability initiatives.

鈥淔rom a skills point of view, I learned a lot because this was the first project of this type for me. My usual role is more to do with the sales side, but with Tech 4 Positive Futures I was part of a delivery team that was creating a technical solution. I learned so much, and since then I鈥檝e worked on three other projects as a product owner. I鈥檓 loving it.

鈥淲e鈥檝e also taken the knowledge we gained on the project and applied it to other projects as well. So yes, we were looking at the specific topic of bees and pollinators, but I learned so much about sustainability, biodiversity, and the environmental challenges we鈥檙e facing.鈥�

Hardik, like Christopher and Peter, feels that the Tech 4 Positive Futures initiative, has provided a focus for the major challenges faced by societies around the world.

鈥淚t has changed my perspective on how I can help clients, and I鈥檝e learned how to ensure sustainability is right there at the front and centre. It鈥檚 about being prepared for what鈥檚 ahead.鈥�

Ultimately, the solutions the teams delivered, and the skills they learned along the way, are a localised way of learning to make a positive difference globally.