Short bio

Hardi Hansalu is Head of Online Training in Combat Ready and a 2nd-year student of Andragogy at Tallinn University. Martin Jõesaar and Remo Ojaste are Combat Ready's co-founders. They were awarded the title of Trainer of the Year 2022 in Estonia. Combat Ready is a company that offers management consulting and training services to both organisations and individuals. Their mission is to develop better leaders through the principles of personal responsibility.

Our story

Keywords that could characterise both the present and the future of adult education are rapid technological development, the importance of practice, adaptability, and relationships. In a rapidly changing world, adult education must keep pace with the times. At Combat Ready, we believe that one foundation for success is adapting to the situation, and various changes should definitely not be seen as enemies, but rather as ways to help improve our training.

Rapid technological development allows for more diverse learning experiences that take into account the interests of the learner.

Currently, we are in the process of creating an online academy and constantly seeking solutions to make it attractive and beneficial for adult learners. Adult learners are self-directed, and a well-structured and engaging academy can support their learning motivation. To create such an academy, we can apply various new technological solutions, ranging from incorporating ChatGPT, which has generated a lot of buzz lately, to utilising larger simulation platforms where people can test themselves in practice.

However, we do not want to make education solely digital and web-based.

In the future, the most effective solution would be blended learning, which combines both online and face-to-face instruction in the right proportions. To truly challenge oneself, it is necessary to step out of the comfort zone. While online learning can provide a solid theoretical foundation and initial practical exposure, it all takes place in a comfortable environment. For growth and the consolidation of learning, it’s important to step out of that environment and put oneself to the test in different situations. We have set a goal to focus heavily on practice and do our best to provide learners with a wide range of demanding tasks that support their development.

Just as the world changes, so do the needs of the job market.

While it is challenging to predict the specific skills that may be needed in the future, one important skill required today and tomorrow is leadership. Each of us is a leader, regardless of our position. We manage our lives both at work and at home. We lead our colleagues, subordinates, superiors, peers, and so on. This is a skill that remains in demand and can be applied in all areas of life. While specific knowledge and skills are essential for life, the right mindset is most important to us. Adults prefer solution-oriented teaching, and we focus on teaching various tools that can be used for problem-solving. By combining these tools with the right mindset and proper practice, individuals have excellent prerequisites for pursuing their goals.

While two skills, digital literacy and leadership, have already been hinted at in this story, the third indispensable skill is communication. The team and teamwork are crucial, and we are not only referring to the organisational perspective. In personal life too, we have a team in the form of family and friends. It is important to surround ourselves with the right people and maintain good relationships with them. Building and maintaining relationships requires effort, but it is possible to learn and practice. All of this is necessary because, regardless of the changes that await us in the future, it is much easier to adapt to them as a unified team. Regarding education, communication skills are important from both the teacher's and the learner's standpoint.

Relationships determine the environment in which the teacher and the student exist, and it is only in a safe and supportive environment that both can reach their full potential.

In summary, while technological changes may be significant, and the whole world may be transforming, foundational skills such as leadership and communication will always remain relevant. We must harness technological advancements and keep up with them, but they simply support the quality of our education, and the principles of adult education will remain the same.