Heather E. McGowan has been named a 'LinkedIn Top Voice on Education' for her efforts to prepare businesses for the future of work.
Heather E. McGowan, internationally-renowned future-of-work strategist and a 'LinkedIn Top Voice on Education', is joining Swinburne's Centre for the New Workforce.
Based in the US and one of the world's most innovative thinkers on the future of work, Ms McGowan will join Swinburne as an adjunct professor, in what is her first academic appointment globally. She will share her expertise on the challenge of 'learning for the future of work' with the Centre.
"The Centre for the New Workforce is excited to welcome Heather E. McGowan to the team," says Centre Director, Dr Sean Gallagher.
"There are few more insightful in understanding the future of work than Heather. Her ability to explain the complexity of the future of work in an accessible way is exceptional. Above all, Heather is laser-focused on how learning can empower people for the future of work, which is precisely the Centre's mission.
"Her experience helping leaders prepare their people for the fourth industrial revolution is more important than ever, especially as AI and automation rapidly find their place across the economy and begin to threaten the jobs of Australian workers.
"I look forward to seeing her continued contributions in this field and working together to prepare the new workforce."
In 2017, Ms McGowan was named LinkedIn's number one global voice on education. She has worked with clients ranging from startups to publicly traded Fortune 500 companies, including AMP Financial, Biogen, Citi, AARP, the World Bank and BD Medical.
"I am excited to join the Centre for the New Workforce at Swinburne and by the opportunity to contribute to its mission of helping all people succeed in the future of work," says Ms McGowan.
"I'm a future of work optimist. But we must turn our focus towards what humans do best, connecting to humans, and learning with and through each other. We must light the fire by connecting people with their motivational purpose
"At the Centre, I hope to achieve a heightened level of awareness about the need to prepare for the changes ahead. Research has shown that those in industries that have not yet been digitally disrupted are unaware of the need to prepare and I see efforts by the Centre are aligned for this economic, social, and societal imperative."
