Reflections from Wedu’s ED: Leading through a changing world

Earlier this month, I was attending AT ONE Impact Week in Singapore, an event bringing together leaders across business, education, and climate work. I want to share what I saw there, because some of it directly affects the world we are all navigating right now.

The week was themed Love as Infrastructure, with sessions on nature, climate resilience, and reimagining education for a healthier planet.

It was surreal to walk into those conversations while the city sat under hazardous smog from forest fires burning in Kalimantan.

A reminder that the crises being discussed inside the conference building was happening in full force just outside the doors. Two conversations matter for how we navigate the world that is already here.

The first was about credential inflation, a term I learned from Bernise Ang of Zeroth Labs. A Bachelor’s degree is no longer enough on its own. Entry level roles increasingly ask for a Master’s, and even then, candidates barely stand out from the crowd. At the same time, AI is automating many entry level tasks. This means two things are happening at once: the bar for getting in the door is rising, and the number of doors is shrinking. If you are studying, job hunting, or supporting someone who is, this is worth planning around. It is also, honestly, not a personal failing if it feels harder than it did a decade ago. It is.

The second was a reminder about what AI cannot yet do. Omid Aschari pointed out that AI carries a strong bias towards efficiency and speed, while real development, human or otherwise, often needs time. He used the image of a gemstone, which needs pressure and years to form properly. Leadership growth is the same. Do not let a culture obsessed with speed convince you that a slower pace is a weakness.

This is exactly why Wedu invests in more than qualifications. Our Capability, Capital, and Community model exists because a degree or a certificate was never going to be enough to navigate what is coming. Mentorship, peer community, and practical leadership experience are the things that help our community stand out and stay resilient when the job market itself is shifting under everyone’s feet.

Iliana Albino from UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited said it plainly, “Education is a political tool, just like AI.”

Decisions about how universities and workplaces are run are often made by people who will not live with the consequences, while it is women like you, at every stage of your careers, who will. Part of what we try to build at Wedu is a space where you have real influence over your own path, rather than only reacting to decisions made elsewhere.

We will be reaching out to you in 2027. After a 2-year pause, we are  planning to re-design the Rising Star programme to respond directly to the challenges we have described here. We want your voice in that process, not as an afterthought, but as a starting point.