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  • Solving Real Problems: Strategic AI Adoption with Dan Pearson, CEO of USP College

    Solving Real Problems: Strategic AI Adoption with Dan Pearson, CEO of USP College
    2025/06/02
    🎧 Episode Title:
    Solving Real Problems: Strategic AI Adoption with Dan Pearson, CEO of USP College

    🎙️ Podcast:
    The AI Works Podcast
    Hosted by Richard Foster-Fletcher
    Co-hosted today by Kurt Hintz

    🔍 Episode Overview

    How can college leaders adopt artificial intelligence strategically, practically, and sustainably without falling into the trap of technology hype? Dan Pearson, CEO of USP College, joins us to share his experiences and strategic approach to AI innovation—highlighting the importance of identifying real problems first, and then deploying technology effectively to solve them.

    Dan openly discusses:
    • USP College’s innovative approach to overcoming practical problems, including merging campuses and ensuring teaching parity using immersive and collaborative AI-enhanced classrooms.

    • The challenges of early tech adoption, including recognising sunk costs and pivoting quickly towards solutions that truly work.

    • How he strategically aligns technological investment with genuine educational needs, rather than chasing transient trends.

    • Developing staff confidence and embedding a culture of experimentation through structured training and organisational support.

    • His vision for wider collaboration across colleges to address critical sector-wide challenges like teacher shortages.

    • Creating specialised AI tools tailored specifically to enhance learning for neurodivergent students, demonstrating tangible educational outcomes.
    This episode offers clear, pragmatic insights into how FE leaders can effectively leverage AI by remaining relentlessly problem-focused and solution-driven.

    🧭 What We Cover
    ✔️ How USP College’s early struggles with immersive technology shaped a more strategic approach to AI adoption
    ✔️ Moving beyond technology hype by clearly defining problems before implementing AI solutions
    ✔️ Using immersive technology to address teacher shortages, teaching parity, and student engagement across campuses
    ✔️ Practical strategies for scaling effective AI-enabled learning through structured staff training and support
    ✔️ Developing specialised AI tools to significantly enhance learning outcomes for neurodivergent students
    ✔️ Navigating rapid technological change through cautious optimism, realistic expectations, and strong corporate partnerships

    👤 About Our Guest

    Dan Pearson is CEO of USP College, a forward-thinking FE institution based in Essex, UK. Under his leadership, USP College has become a pioneer in strategic AI innovation, particularly through immersive collaborative classrooms and specialised AI tools for neurodiverse learners. Dan's approach to technology is distinctly pragmatic, focused always on solving clear, defined educational challenges and improving real-world student outcomes.


    🔗 Links & Mentions
    • USP College: https://www.uspcollege.ac.uk

    • Dan Pearson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-pearson-obe-34399735

    • Richard Foster-Fletcher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfosterfletcher

    • Kurt Hintz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-hintz
    📬 Stay Connected
    For updates, resources, and future episodes, follow The AI Works Podcast and join our conversations on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mkai-works
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    38 分
  • From Co-Pilot to Co-Thinker: How Leaders Can Strategically Adopt AI with Danny Metters, CEO of Bishop Burton College

    From Co-Pilot to Co-Thinker: How Leaders Can Strategically Adopt AI with Danny Metters, CEO of Bishop Burton College
    2025/05/26
    🎧 Episode Title: From Co-Pilot to Co-Thinker: How Leaders Can Strategically Adopt AI with Danny Metters, CEO of Bishop Burton College

    🎙️ Podcast: The AI Works Podcast

    Hosted by Richard Foster-Fletcher
    Co-hosted today by Kurt Hintz

    🔍 Episode Overview

    How can artificial intelligence help further education colleges prepare learners practically, ethically, and sustainably for the future workforce? Danny Metters, Principal and CEO of Bishop Burton and Riseholme Colleges, joins us to share real-world insights and strategic reflections on integrating AI and emerging technologies in land-based education.

    Danny openly discusses:
    • The evolution of land-based education, including cutting-edge applications of AI, robotics, and precision farming technologies.

    • Collaborating with employers to ensure educational programmes align with future industry needs.

    • Practical examples of how robotics and AI are improving productivity, sustainability, and ethical practices in agriculture.

    • Encouraging college-wide adoption of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to enhance productivity, creativity, and innovation.

    • Overcoming barriers and resistance through role modelling, experimentation, and embedding a culture of psychological safety.

    • Strategic considerations for making impactful investments in AI tools without being distracted by hype or transient trends.

    This episode provides thoughtful, pragmatic, and inspirational examples of leadership in the use of AI in education, highlighting real opportunities for growth, sustainability, and innovation.

    🧭 What We Cover

    ✔️ The changing landscape of agriculture education, embracing AI, robotics, and precision farming
    ✔️ Practical strategies for integrating AI and automation into land-based curriculums
    ✔️ Using generative AI to enhance staff productivity, creativity, and student experience
    ✔️ Real-world examples of collaboration with industry partners to access advanced technologies affordably
    ✔️ Ethical considerations and governance when embedding AI across educational processes
    ✔️ Addressing potential skills gaps and maintaining continuous professional development for staff in rapidly changing environments

    👤 About Our Guest

    Danny Metters is Principal and CEO of Bishop Burton College and Riseholme College, specialist land-based institutions in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, UK. Passionate about sustainability, innovation, and ethical practices in education, Danny’s leadership approach emphasises collaboration, continuous learning, and the responsible use of technology to enhance student outcomes and institutional productivity.

    🔗 Links & Mentions

    Bishop Burton College: https://www.bishopburton.ac.uk
    Danny Metters on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-metters
    Richard Foster-Fletcher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfosterfletcher
    Kurt Hintz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-hintz

    📬 Stay Connected

    For updates, resources, and future episodes, follow The AI Works Podcast and join our conversations on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mkai-works
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    40 分
  • Innovating from Within: Practical AI Adoption with Julie Kapsalis, CEO of Nescot

    Innovating from Within: Practical AI Adoption with Julie Kapsalis, CEO of Nescot
    2025/05/19
    🎧 Episode Title: Innovating from Within: Practical AI Adoption with Julie Kapsalis, CEO of Nescot

    Podcast:
    The AI Works Podcast
    Hosted by Richard Foster-Fletcher
    Co-hosted today by Kurt Hintz

    🔍 Episode Overview

    How can further education leaders practically, ethically, and effectively integrate artificial intelligence into their institutions? Julie Kapsalis, Principal and CEO of Nescot (North East Surrey College of Technology), joins us to share thoughtful insights and tangible examples of how AI and advanced technologies are enhancing education at her college. Julie discusses openly about:
    • How Nescot’s 72-year legacy of technology adoption informs their current AI journey.
    • Why the plumbing department became pioneers of AI and VR innovation, breaking stereotypes and setting examples for the college.
    • Practical ways immersive technologies and simulators enhance vocational learning and assessment, from plumbing to highways maintenance.
    • Building meaningful industry partnerships with global businesses like Daikin, Ringway, Tony & Guy, and cruise industry leaders to create real-world learning experiences.
    • The ethical considerations and challenges around AI integration, including ensuring authentic assessment, maintaining originality, and safeguarding learners.
    • How small, pioneering teams can lead transformative change within FE institutions.
    This episode provides actionable insights into how forward-thinking leadership can harness AI practically and ethically, benefiting educators, students, and communities alike.

    🧭 What We Cover
    ✔️ Nescot’s practical approach to embedding AI and immersive technologies into vocational curricula
    ✔️ Overcoming stereotypes and fostering innovation through unlikely pioneer departments, such as plumbing
    ✔️ Effective strategies for using virtual simulations in vocational assessments to reduce risk and enhance learner competence
    ✔️ Building impactful and ethical partnerships between FE colleges and industry leaders
    ✔️ Using immersive environments (such as the Igloo 360 suite) to drive learner engagement, inclusion, and accessibility
    ✔️ Addressing internal resistance and creating a supportive environment for staff adoption of AI technologies

    👤 About Our Guest Julie Kapsalis is Principal and CEO of Nescot—the North East Surrey College of Technology, based in Epsom, Surrey. With extensive leadership experience in further education, Julie also serves on the national strategy board for Artificial Intelligence in Education, chaired by Sir Anthony Seldon. Passionate about practical, ethical, and impactful innovation, Julie’s leadership is characterised by openness, collaboration, and continuous learning, helping shape meaningful educational experiences powered by technology.

    🔗 Links & Mentions
    • Nescot College: https://www.nescot.ac.uk
    • Julie Kapsalis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliekapsalis
    • Richard Foster-Fletcher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfosterfletcher
    • Kurt Hintz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-hintz
    📬 Stay Connected For updates, resources, and future episodes, follow The AI Works Podcast and join our conversations on LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/mkai-works
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    39 分
  • From Curiosity to Culture: Navigating AI Adoption inwith Claire Foster, CEO of Boston College

    From Curiosity to Culture: Navigating AI Adoption inwith Claire Foster, CEO of Boston College
    2025/05/12
    🎧 Episode Title: From Curiosity to Culture: Navigating AI Adoption in FE with Claire Foster, CEO of Boston College

    🎙️ Podcast: The AI Works Podcast Hosted by Richard Foster-Fletcher

    🔍 Episode Overview

    How can further education leaders navigate the uncertainties of adopting artificial intelligence, balancing curiosity and caution? Claire Foster, Principal and CEO of Boston College UK, joins us to openly share her personal journey and practical experiences of introducing AI in her college. From first encountering AI as an unfamiliar concept to actively championing its adoption among students and staff, Claire’s insights highlight the human aspects of technological transformation in education.

    Claire discusses openly about:
    • Starting her leadership during the Covid-19 lockdown and rapidly adapting to digital learning
    • Building a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and shared learning around AI
    • Overcoming fear and scepticism among educators and students
    • Addressing equity and access to AI tools in education
    • The importance of adaptability and lifelong learning as core educational values
    This conversation offers authentic, thoughtful reflections on how educational institutions can embrace AI as a meaningful tool for learning, inclusion, and creativity.

    🧭 What We Cover
    ✔️ How Boston College began its AI journey from early experimentation to strategic implementation
    ✔️ Creating psychological safety around AI adoption among educators
    ✔️ Practical ways AI tools (e.g., Copilot) can reduce workload and stress for teachers
    ✔️ Using AI inclusively to support learners with language and additional learning needs
    ✔️ Addressing digital equity concerns for both students and the broader community
    ✔️ Building an adaptable learning culture that prepares students for evolving job markets 👤

    About Our Guest
    Claire Foster is Principal and CEO at Boston College in Lincolnshire, UK. With a professional background rooted deeply in further education, Claire has successfully led her college through challenging times, including Covid-19 and digital transformation. Her leadership philosophy emphasises curiosity, openness, and continuous learning, creating an environment where technology meaningfully enhances the educational experience.

    🔗 Links & Mentions

    Boston College UK: https://www.boston.ac.uk
    Claire Foster on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-foster-46424515
    Richard Foster-Fletcher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfosterfletcher
    Kurt Hintz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-hintz

    📬 Stay Connected For updates, resources, and future episodes, follow The AI Works Podcast and join our conversations on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mkai-works
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    36 分
  • Bridging Policy and Practice: Leading AI Transformation with Keith Smith, CEO at HRUC

    Bridging Policy and Practice: Leading AI Transformation with Keith Smith, CEO at HRUC
    2025/05/06
    🎧 Episode Title:
    Bridging Policy and Practice: Leading AI Transformation with Keith Smith, CEO at HRUC

    🎙️ Podcast:
    The AI Works Podcast

    Hosted by Richard Foster-Fletcher
    Co-hosted by Kurt Hintz

    🔍 Episode Overview

    How can further education (FE) institutions turn national policy into meaningful practice when it comes to artificial intelligence? In this episode, Keith Smith—CEO at Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) and former senior leader at the Department for Education—joins us to share his perspective on sector leadership in an AI-integrated world. From building system-wide collaboration to preparing students and staff for the demands of a digital economy, this conversation explores what it takes to lead well through uncertainty, complexity, and rapid technological change.

    Keith shares practical insights on:
    • Creating an AI strategy at the organisational level
    • Supporting staff through disruption with purpose and clarity
    • Building communities of practice across the FE sector
    • Partnerships that stretch thinking, including HRUC’s collaboration with MIT
    Whether you're in education, policy, or industry, this episode offers a grounded yet ambitious perspective on the leadership required to move from AI awareness to confident, inclusive action.

    🧭 What We Cover
    ✔️ Embedding AI into FE strategy and operations
    ✔️ Staff development and psychological safety in times of change
    ✔️ Opportunities for AI to improve inclusion and neurodiverse learning
    ✔️ Sector-wide collaboration and the proposed AI community for FE
    ✔️ The future of AI in physical form: robotics, automation, and governance
    ✔️ Leadership lessons from policy to practice

    👤 About Our Guest
    Keith Smith is the Chief Executive of Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges. Prior to this role, he held senior leadership positions at the Department for Education, where he played a pivotal role in shaping national policy for the further education sector. He now leads one of the UK’s most forward-thinking college groups, with a focus on AI adoption, staff wellbeing, and system leadership.

    🔗 Links & Mentions
    • Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges: https://www.hruc.ac.uk
    • MIT Industrial Liaison Program: https://ilp.mit.edu
    • Connect with Keith Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-smith-1733b9140/
    • Richard Foster-Fletcher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfosterfletcher
    • Kurt Hintz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-hintz/
    📬 Stay Connected

    For updates, resources, and upcoming episodes, follow The AI Works Podcast and join the conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mkai-works
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    45 分
  • Leading from the Front: Gillian May, CEO of WFCG, on Driving Strategic AI Transformation

    Leading from the Front: Gillian May, CEO of WFCG, on Driving Strategic AI Transformation
    2025/04/28
    Series: FE Leadership in an AI-Driven World

    Hosts:
    Richard Foster-Fletcher, CEO, MKAI.works
    Kurt Hintz, CEO, Petroc

    Guest:
    Gillian May, CEO and Group Principal, Windsor Forest Colleges Group

    Guest Bio:

    Gillian May is the CEO and Group Principal at Windsor Forest Colleges Group, known for her strategic leadership in driving innovation, efficiency, and organisational transformation within Further Education. Under her direction, Windsor Forest has launched Winnie, a pioneering private AI platform leveraging advanced ChatGPT technology to enhance operational productivity, data analysis, and student engagement.

    Episode Title:

    Leading from the Front: Gillian May, CEO of WFCG, on Driving Strategic AI Transformation

    Episode Overview:

    We explore how Gillian May and Windsor Forest Colleges Group successfully implemented Winnie, a bespoke AI platform based on ChatGPT. Gillian shares insights into how the college overcame initial scepticism, championed AI adoption across all departments, and set new standards for efficiency and innovation. The episode discusses practical applications, the importance of secure AI deployment, and the potential for significant sector-wide disruption.

    Key Topics of Discussion:
    1. The strategic vision and implementation of Winnie, Windsor Forest's private AI platform
    2. Addressing initial internal resistance and effectively championing organisational AI adoption
    3. Leveraging AI for administrative efficiency, workload reduction, and operational enhancements
    4. Transforming student experiences and preparing learners with AI skills relevant to industry
    5. Navigating ethical considerations, privacy, and data management within AI integration
    Key 'Takeaway' Ideas:
    1. Effective AI integration requires visionary leadership, transparent communication, and demonstrable quick wins to build organisational trust.
    2. Further Education can substantially enhance efficiency, reduce administrative burden, and improve educational outcomes through tailored, secure AI solutions.
    3. AI provides significant opportunities for disrupting legacy systems within FE, particularly in assessment, compliance, and back-office functions.
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    44 分
  • Introducing AI Works: Practical Insights for Leaders Navigating Artificial Intelligence

    Introducing AI Works: Practical Insights for Leaders Navigating Artificial Intelligence
    2025/04/23
    Welcome to the AI Works Podcast, the essential resource for leaders navigating the realities of artificial intelligence in the public sector and beyond. In this introductory episode, host Richard Foster-Fletcher sets the stage, outlining exactly what listeners can expect from future episodes:
    • Real-world insights: Hear directly from public-sector leaders who are actively integrating AI into their organisations.
    • Practical strategies: Discover actionable ideas and proven approaches to common challenges leaders face during AI adoption.
    • Candid conversations: Learn from the experiences and lessons of executives addressing AI’s toughest questions around ethics, implementation, workforce readiness, data privacy, and more.
    If you’re responsible for guiding your organisation through AI-driven change, AI Works offers clear, grounded conversations to help you confidently lead the way.

    Subscribe now and join us for practical, insightful discussions about what’s working, what isn’t, and how leaders are successfully adapting in real-time.
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    2 分