NDA has always been dedicated to celebrating the digital industry and as the pandemic took hold we launched our Reasons to be Cheerful series. As we face an uncertain economic future, we’ll be hearing from leaders across our industry to discover what’s keeping them smiling as we enter 2023. Next up is Ariel Quinones, Co-Founder of Ironhack international tech school…
What are you most excited about in the digital industry in 2023?
For me, it’s really exciting to see the acceleration of use cases for AI. In 2023, we’re going to see more organizations looking to build more connected ecosystems with AI at their core. Programs such as ChatGPT have generated a lot of excitement for what’s to come after many years of “hype”.
Why are you most positive for your business in 2023?
At Ironhack, we’re entering 2023 with strong working relationships with some of the largest companies in the world, having built a solid foundation as the marketplace that connects supply and demand for that emerging talent. We are working with these market leaders on strategies to attract and develop the best tech talent and we’re excited about the positive impact this will have on our students and the industry as a whole.
How will the digital industry, and your company, help make life better for consumers or partners in 2023?
Technology is one of the most important value creators for companies and individuals. In 2023, working closely with individuals, corporates, and our industry leading course leaders we will continue to close the tech skills gap. Beyond that, we’re working towards becoming the largest and most dynamic marketplace for emerging tech talent, that connects emerging tech talent with the best companies who are looking for them. To that end, at Ironhack we are fast becoming the most outcomes-focused institution in the world, helping people lead more fulfilling lives, make more money, and generally be happier through their employment opportunities. The next step is to do that at scale and achieve our goal of impacting over a million people through our work.
What technologies have you been most impressed with this year, and which will have the most impact in 2023?
As mentioned, I’m really excited about the advancements in AI and technology such as ChatGPT, which are really creating excitement in the industry and beyond, as well as Web3 and decentralized technologies.
What, if any, positive impacts on the digital industry could an economic downturn have?
We’ve seen time and time again, that when resources are scarce, humans become more creative and efficient. I think in times of downturn we see a lot of interesting experimentation and resulting innovation that will yield the next generation of products and services, which is really exciting.
Plus, although recent news has been dominated by layoffs and hiring freezes in the tech sector, the reality is that the digital sector will still face a skills gap that is much bigger than the layoff crisis. From an Ironhack perspective, the number of students joining our courses and company hiring partners has not seen a decline.
