Samsung Welcomes The UK to Register Their Interest For Not a School 2020

The unique education experience helping to prepare young people for the workplace of the future

LONDON, UK –5^th December 2019 – Following the success of its 2019 Not a School programme, Samsung Electronics Ltd. is now inviting young people throughout the nation to register their interest for the 2020 initiative and be the first to hear when applications are live.

Not a School brought together young people to help equip them with vital skills in preparation for the workplace of the future, which will be impacted greatly by rapid innovations in technology.

During the four-week course, students explored some of the most pressing issues facing today’s society, with themes including: making the world more compassionate; making sustainability personal; humanising technology; and building an inclusive London.

Co-designed with young people, the four themes enabled students to develop skills that resonated with their passions and values. This opened conversations and debates around subjects such as how to make the online world kinder; exploring the opportunities of AI; and innovative ways to re-use technology packaging.

This year’s students came together at the 2019 Not a School Graduation ceremony in November to celebrate their achievements and development during the four-weeks. Feedback from the graduates has included:

“I didn’t do that well in school. This was the school that I never had, but always needed.”

“The best week of 2019 for me, it has made us better people and hopefully the world a better place. Go Samsung.”

Throughout the graduation ceremony, leaders and mentors of the Not a School course shared their experience in helping prepare young people for their future careers through the Not a School course, including: Charlie Dark: DJ, creative influencer, poet and founder of the running community ‘Run Dem Crew’; comedian, Reuben Christian; and photographer Andriana Lagoudes.

Speaking about the success of this year’s programme, Course Leader and Creative Influencer Charlie Dark noted: “It’s been incredible to see the impact that Not a School has had on the young people involved in the course. In just a week their confidence has grown so much, and they’ve developed skills that will empower them for their future endeavors.

“Not a School has offered young people exactly what they need to work together to bring about positive change and help build a better tomorrow. It’s our responsibility to give them the drive to be innovative and challenge the status quo, and moving forwards, it’s important that all education invests in a curriculum that fosters this future talent and considers rapid transformations in the progressive digital era.”

Francis Chun, President & CEO of Samsung UK and Ireland said: “Not a School is an education experience like no other, and we are incredibly proud of the powerful impact it’s had in just the first year of launch.

“In the past decade, we’ve seen technology entirely transform our society and this programme is a prominent step in helping young people to prosper. We look forward to welcoming and inspiring even more students in 2020.”

The UK initiative forms a part of Samsung’s global commitment^[1] to education and citizenship efforts; helping equip the next generation of innovators with the skills needed to pioneer positive social change. The free, four-week program was designed for 18 to 25-year-old school graduates and been co-created with a collective of inspiring young people. It featured a diverse group of unorthodox teachers, whose areas of expertise range from art to activism, and from comedy to inclusion.

Pre-registration for the 2020 course is live now at: www.samsung.com/uk/kings-cross/not-a-school/sign-up

[1] In 2018, Samsung Electronics invested over KRW 409 billion or about US$34 million in global citizenship efforts of ‘Enabling People’ and commitment to Education for Future Generations.