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Steeped In Style And History, Aldo Gucci’s Roman Villa Comes To Light“,”scope”:{“topStory”:{“index”:1,”title”:”Steeped In Style And History, Aldo Gucci’s Roman Villa Comes To Light”,”image”:”https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/641e15faa8975f7033580d4a/290×0.jpg”,”isHappeningNowArticle”:false,”date”:{“monthDayYear”:”Mar 24, 2023″,”hourMinute”:”06:12″,”amPm”:”pm”,”isEDT”:true,”unformattedDate”:1679695968512},”uri”:”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2023/03/24/steeped-in-style-and-history-aldo-guccis-roman-villa-comes-to-light/”}},”id”:”6rohh4fr6eqo00″},{“textContent”:”
$3.5 Million Penthouse At London’s Canary Wharf Keeps The River Close“,”scope”:{“topStory”:{“index”:2,”title”:”$3.5 Million Penthouse At London’s Canary Wharf Keeps The River Close”,”image”:”https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/641b7a379ae42638e7161d37/290×0.jpg”,”isHappeningNowArticle”:false,”date”:{“monthDayYear”:”Mar 23, 2023″,”hourMinute”:”07:00″,”amPm”:”am”,”isEDT”:true,”unformattedDate”:1679569200000},”uri”:”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2023/03/23/35-million-penthouse-at-londons-canary-wharf-keeps-the-river-close/”}},”id”:”7lc47qn0k38000″},{“textContent”:”
How They Closed It: Shattering The Record Sales Price In Boulder, Colorado“,”scope”:{“topStory”:{“index”:3,”title”:”How They Closed It: Shattering The Record Sales Price In Boulder, Colorado”,”image”:”https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/641a329a2e9ccf8e364b2898/290×0.jpg”,”isHappeningNowArticle”:false,”date”:{“monthDayYear”:”Mar 22, 2023″,”hourMinute”:”07:00″,”amPm”:”am”,”isEDT”:true,”unformattedDate”:1679482800000},”uri”:”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2023/03/22/how-they-closed-it-shattering-the-record-sales-price-in-boulder-colorado/”}},”id”:”7nd3r0leoqko00″},{“textContent”:”
Colorado Contemporary Delivers On Style And Location In Breckenridge“,”scope”:{“topStory”:{“index”:4,”title”:”Colorado Contemporary Delivers On Style And Location In Breckenridge”,”image”:”https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/641a0bd0f400ed96de0aff9a/290×0.jpg”,”isHappeningNowArticle”:false,”date”:{“monthDayYear”:”Mar 21, 2023″,”hourMinute”:”05:53″,”amPm”:”pm”,”isEDT”:true,”unformattedDate”:1679435627133},”uri”:”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2023/03/21/colorado-contemporary-delivers-on-style-and-location-in-breckenridge/”}},”id”:”dne04r4j54c000″},{“textContent”:”
English Manor House Enjoys A Country In The City Setting In Toronto“,”scope”:{“topStory”:{“index”:5,”title”:”English Manor House Enjoys A Country In The City Setting In Toronto”,”image”:”https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/6415c542c8418fd1307ffb6e/290×0.jpg”,”isHappeningNowArticle”:false,”date”:{“monthDayYear”:”Mar 20, 2023″,”hourMinute”:”08:00″,”amPm”:”am”,”isEDT”:true,”unformattedDate”:1679313600000},”uri”:”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2023/03/20/english-manor-house-enjoys-a-country-in-the-city-setting-in-toronto/”}},”id”:”21dj1lpoe49o0″},{“textContent”:”
$18.25 Million Manhattan Beach Contemporary Offers A Front Row Seat On The Sand“,”scope”:{“topStory”:{“index”:6,”title”:”$18.25 Million Manhattan Beach Contemporary Offers A Front Row Seat On The Sand”,”image”:”https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/641370a62bcd75b6516246a2/290×0.jpg”,”isHappeningNowArticle”:false,”date”:{“monthDayYear”:”Mar 17, 2023″,”hourMinute”:”08:00″,”amPm”:”am”,”isEDT”:true,”unformattedDate”:1679054400000},”uri”:”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2023/03/17/1825-million-manhattan-beach-contemporary-offers-a-front-row-seat-on-the-sand/”}},”id”:”bndi9cohqpcg00″},{“textContent”:”
$26 Million Compound In Los Angeles’ Brentwood Guarantees Privacy And Vistas“,”scope”:{“topStory”:{“index”:7,”title”:”$26 Million Compound In Los Angeles’ Brentwood Guarantees Privacy And Vistas”,”image”:”https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/6413405d7a93eb889a6246a2/290×0.jpg”,”isHappeningNowArticle”:false,”date”:{“monthDayYear”:”Mar 16, 2023″,”hourMinute”:”12:45″,”amPm”:”pm”,”isEDT”:true,”unformattedDate”:1678985147000},”uri”:”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2023/03/16/26-million-compound-in-los-angeles-brentwood-guarantees-privacy-and-vistas/”}},”id”:”19pcldnrrnd00″}],”breakpoints”:[{“breakpoint”:”@media all and (max-width: 767px)”,”config”:{“enabled”:false}},{“breakpoint”:”@media all and (max-width: 768px)”,”config”:{“inView”:2,”slidesToScroll”:1}},{“breakpoint”:”@media all and (min-width: 1681px)”,”config”:{“inView”:6}}]};
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Are you “doing” semaglutide? In recent weeks, the drug has become the subject of public (and private) discourse as we debate the ethics and efficacy of the weight-loss aid. Naturally it’s controversial – what discussion of weight loss is ever not?
I know several people who have been prescribed Ozempic (a semaglutide brand name), and I’ve been a fascinated onlooker as the drug has taken hold. Yes, I should caveat that evidence suggests that most users regain most of the weight they’ve lost, and it’s important to highlight how little we still know about its use long-term. But for people with disordered eating habits or yo-yo dieters, Ozempic offers a gateway to another world. From anecdotal conversations with other users, it has an interesting effect on one’s appetite for alcohol as well.
The Ozempic conversation is one where I’ve been keen to hear the user’s voice
While I would never personally consider injecting myself with anything except life-saving medicine, the Ozempic conversation is one where I’ve been keen to hear the user’s voice. Fiona Golfar started taking her course of treatment in December, and her transformation has been fairly astonishing to see. But the more intriguing thing I have observed about Fiona, who has been on a diet for the entirety of the time that I have known her, has been the fact that for the first time in our relationship we talk far less about what she’s going to eat. She has kindly agreed to write about her experiences on Ozempic here – I hope you can read it with an open mind. In an arena where we are incredibly quick to pass judgement, Fiona offers an unexpectedly sympathetic point of view.
There can be no controversy about the home shared by artist Maro Gorky and her husband Matthew Spender. The Tuscan farmhouse that the couple moved into in the late ’60s is among the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. The decoration has been evolving over many years, but the different landscapes and treatments all come together as a resplendent whole. The writer Vanessa Nicolson first visited the farmhouse as a child: her mother was a friend of Maro’s mother, and the house was an artistic hub of bohemian bonhomie. The children of famous artists (she of the Armenian-American artist Arshile Gorky, he of the poet Sir Stephen Spender), the couple have been witness to many generations of creatives, and have rather ribald recollections of them all. If not all their experiences have been easy, the house itself is an expression of unfettered joy: a technicolour riot best described as Charleston meets Pompeii.
Lastly, I am honoured that Marta Ortega Pérez agreed to grant an exclusive interview to this magazine. The daughter of the Inditex founder Amancio, she has inherited the same approach to the media: this is only her second-ever business interview. Now the non-executive chair of Inditex, she is the leader of a high-street giant: the company’s apparel and footwear enjoys a global market share of 1.6 per cent. She’s also striking-looking, fabulously well-connected, funny and obsessed with art. I went to their headquarters near A Coruña, Spain, to find out more about one of the most influential women in the fashion world.
Courteney Cox is many things – a brilliant comic actress for one. As the uptight, controlling, obsessive Monica in Friends, Cox had to deliver a less sympathetic set of characteristics, and yet Cox’s clever blend of quiet self-deprecation and bonkers energy saw her emerge as one of the more vulnerable and fondly remembered pals. Likewise, Cox’s post-Friends career trajectory has been intriguing and unexpected. This month, she reprises her role as the shellacked, pugnacious Gale Weathers in the horror franchise Scream, the only character to have appeared in every iteration of the film.
Cox doesn’t go for easy roles, nor play coquettish popsies – she leans towards the kooky, the curious, the oddball. At home, she’s also full of surprises: follow her on Instagram and you’ll discover that she’s an accomplished pianist and musician, a pretty good singer, that she does a lot of cooking and loves a dorky viral challenge. For this issue, she spoke to Jackie Daly about her latest venture, a range of domestic natural cleaning products called Homecourt she claims are so refined and gentle she would use them on her skin. It is just one new brand in a burgeoning market that is anticipated to be worth some $13.2bn by 2030. But Cox must have the edge in this new luxe cleaning game – the idea of neat-freak Monica bringing out a range of products is, after all, a marketer’s dream. Cox is deadly serious about her ambitions and commitment to the Homecourt cause, and to convert us to the ideology, she gives us a tour of her very tranquil, very tasteful and very tidy LA home.
The architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron would surely approve of her holistic vision of modern living. Despite having created some of the world’s most complicated, dynamic structures, the Swiss duo are preoccupied by what can augment existing urban space. Many of their projects are governed by the established infrastructure: “You need to understand the city as a social system and not introduce something alien to it,” observed de Meuron at a forum three years ago.
The most brilliant artistic visions only improve with age
Now the focus of an upcoming exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, tracing the evolution of some of their 600 projects, the duo discuss the changing city with HTSI and what we want from properties today. They find us less evolved than we might think. “The ’60s fantasies of what the home of the future might look like, such as Archigram’s idea we’d be living in a bubble, have just not happened,” says Herzog to Lisa Freedman in an exclusive interview. “Even surrounded by mobile phones, humans still love lofty spaces and cave-like cosy rooms.”
Humans, it seems, are comfortable with the familiar; far more conservative in our appetites than we might first appear. Neither have we moved on all that far sartorially. This week sees Andy Harrington and Jermaine Daley shooting that most perennial of wardrobe classics: the summer stripe. As groundbreaking as a summer floral, the stripe remains a constant feature of the wardrobe, and with good reason – it looks as chic, fresh and elegant as ever in our shoot.
Incidentally, stripes are also a major component of a new exhibition at the Musée National Picasso-Paris where, to mark the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death, the museum has undergone a major rehang under the artistic direction of Paul Smith. As part of a motif running throughout the huge exhibition space, Smith has used bold graphic stripes on many of the gallery walls, creating a modern backdrop against which the masterpieces really pop. If you are in the Marais in the next few months, I urge you to visit. It’s a cool affirmation that the most brilliant, brave artistic vision only improves with age.
During your trial you will have complete digital access to FT.com with everything in both of our Standard Digital and Premium Digital packages.
Standard Digital includes access to a wealth of global news, analysis and expert opinion. Premium Digital includes access to our premier business column, Lex, as well as 15 curated newsletters covering key business themes with original, in-depth reporting. For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital, click here.
Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the “Settings & Account” section.
What happens at the end of my trial?
If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for $69 per month.
For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. If you’d like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial.
You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many user’s needs. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here.
Any changes made can be done at any time and will become effective at the end of the trial period, allowing you to retain full access for 4 weeks, even if you downgrade or cancel.
When can I cancel?
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Users of the Telegram messenger will now be able to send each other the leading stablecoin, tether (usdt), directly in the chats. The new option expands the list of cryptocurrencies available for purchase, sale, and trade in the messaging app.
Tether Added to Wallet Bot in Telegram Messenger
Support for transactions with the U.S. dollar-pegged tether, the largest stablecoin, has been introduced in Telegram, the most popular messaging service in the crypto space.
USDT has been integrated in the Telegram Wallet bot, allowing users to buy, sell, exchange as well as transfer tether free of charge between each other.
“We’re excited to announce the long-awaited integration of USDT into @wallet, making sending stablecoins as easy as sharing a photo,” the wallet service said in a Telegram post.
You can replenish your tether balance through the bot’s main menu, using an external USDT wallet and also by purchasing the stablecoin with a bank card or on Telegram’s peer-to-peer (P2P) market. @wallet only accepts transfers from the TRC-20 network, the announcement remarked.
The wallet’s interface has been updated. All crypto assets can be seen on the start page and users can choose which coins they want displayed from ‘Settings’. Purchase options are available in the ‘Market’ section.
The messenger’s P2P marketplace has been refreshed as well to allow users to buy and sell stablecoins directly in the bot by selecting one of the available offers. An ‘Exchange’ feature has appeared on the main page letting you to trade USDT and TON.
Toncoin (TON), which can also be sent in chats, and bitcoin (BTC), the crypto with the largest market cap, were added to the unofficial @wallet bot in April, 2022.
The Telegram Open Network (TON) blockchain was launched in 2018. However, in 2020, Telegram pulled out of the project due to litigation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Further support for the TON network was provided by members of the TON Foundation community who continued its development, RBC Crypto noted in a report.
While Telegram is not directly engaged with the expansion of the TON ecosystem, it remains involved. Last year, the messenger launched a blockchain platform called Fragment facilitating the purchase and sale of collectible usernames with toncoin.
Do you expect other cryptocurrencies to be added to the @wallet Telegram bot? Tell us in the comments section below.
Lubomir Tassev
Lubomir Tassev is a journalist from tech-savvy Eastern Europe who likes Hitchens’s quote: “Being a writer is what I am, rather than what I do.” Besides crypto, blockchain and fintech, international politics and economics are two other sources of inspiration.
Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons, Jimmy Tudeschi / Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
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Nonfungible token (NFT) marketplaces transacted roughly $82 million in 2020 and a staggering $17.6 billion in 2021, indicating a rising demand and high user interest in NFTs. This meteoric rise of digital asset trading ranged from whimsical cartoon JPEGs to National Basketball Association trading cards, artwork, music and more. One such marketplace for collecting and trading NFTs is Nifty Gateway.
Nifty Gateway was founded in 2018 by Duncan Cock Foster and Griffin Cock Foster. In 2019, it was acquired by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss’ cryptocurrency exchange, Gemini. Nifty Gateway positions itself as a high-end NFT marketplace on the Ethereum blockchain, partnering with top digital artists, musicians, athletes and brands to create limited-edition exclusive launches. The platform has sold NFTs by Beeple, Pak, Refik Anadol, rapper Lil Yachty and other widely followed NFT artists.
During the NFT market peak between May 2020 and April 2021, Nifty Gateway launched 6,623 NFTs representing the artwork of 418 artists with reported total sales of $403.8 million across its primary and secondary marketplaces.
There are three things that make Nifty Gateway’s Ethereum-based NFT marketplace stand out:
Curated and verified art
The artists launching on the Nifty Gateway NFT marketplace are usually well-recognized and acclaimed in the art community. Many of them hold celebrity status in the crypto art community, making their work verifiable, legitimate and expensive.
Nifty Gateway is selective about who is permitted to display their artwork on the platform. Prior to being permitted to mint and issue NFTs, artists must successfully complete an application and interview process. In this aspect, Nifty Gateway is akin to modern-day art galleries that assemble, manage and present verified collections.
Exclusive drops
NFT drops often refer to a creator releasing a new limited-edition NFT or a full nonfungible token collection for sale. Collectors can purchase the dropped NFTs before they sell out. While many platforms do nonfungible token airdrops, Nifty Gateway is particularly known for its exclusive art drops, which are limited-edition and in limited quantities, and they often sell out quickly due to high demand.
Nifty Gateway’s partnerships with top artists, musicians and creators aim to ensure that the drops are made exclusively on its platform. This fosters Nifty Gateway’s brand exclusivity.
In February 2021, Beeple launched his “Crossroads” NFT and “Spring/Summer Collection 2021” via an exclusive drop on Nifty Gateway. “Crossroads” was designed as a response to the 2020 United States presidential election and sold for a whopping $6.6 million on Nifty Gateway.
Fiat on-ramp accessibility
Nifty Gateway supports the U.S. dollar fiat currency for U.S. bank account holders, allowing NFT purchases using debit and credit cards. This feature is rare for NFT marketplaces since others such as OpenSea, SuperRare and Blur are accessible through a Web3 wallet.
Nifty Gateway is a subsidiary of the Winklevoss twins’ crypto exchange company, Gemini LLC. This allows it to be powered by Gemini’s secure, institutional-grade infrastructure to explore various crypto and fiat payment methods.
The following steps explain how to set up a Nifty Gateway account:
Step 1: Account sign up
Sign up on Niftygateway.com/signup with a valid email and password to get started. Alternatively, the option of connecting via a Web3 wallet is also available.
Step 2: Fill in profile details
Once the account is created, it is advisable to enter other important information to enhance the user experience. Uploading a profile picture and toggling the profile icon to one’s liking are a good place to start.
The following steps will guide anyone interested in buying NFTs on Nifty Gateway:
To purchase an NFT, visit the Nifty Gateway marketplace.
Browse available NFTs by artist, collection or category. The search function is also available to find specific NFTs or collections.
Pick an NFT and buy it using your preferred payment method. The purchased NFT can be sent to your MetaMask wallet or your Nifty Gateway account.
How to sell NFTs on Nifty Gateway
The steps on how to sell NFTs on Nifty Gateway are listed below:
To list an NFT for sale, go to the “My Collection” tab on Nifty Gateway and click on the “List an Item” button.
Enter basic information about the NFT, such as its name, description and price.
Users have two payment method options for selling NFTs: They can post them for sale directly from their MetaMask wallet for Ether (ETH), or they can sell them for U.S. dollars by signing up to be an authorized seller using Stripe. When someone purchases the listed NFT, the funds get transferred to the linked wallet.
How to gift NFTs on Nifty Gateway
Gifting NFTs is one of the features offered by Nifty Gateway, whose account holders can send NFTs to other users on the platform as gifts to anyone simply via a valid email address.
To send an NFT to a user on the platform:
1. Open the “My Collection” tab and select the NFT you wish to send.
2. A new page will appear. Click on “Send Nifty.” Enter the recipient’s username in the search box and select their profile (you can even add a personalized note if needed).
3. Click “Send Nifty” to confirm your transfer. The transfer is instant with no gas fees for within-platform transfers.
Apart from this, Nifty Gateway also allows gifting NFTs to anyone not on the platform via a valid email address, as explained below:
Find the NFT you want to send as a gift and make sure it’s available for gifting. Some NFTs may not be giftable, so check before proceeding.
Upon selecting the NFT to gift, click on the “Gift” button. This will open a new page where you will need to enter the recipient’s email address (and add a personal message if you want).
Next, choose whether to give the NFT immediately or on a specific date. After selecting the gifting option, review the details and click “Confirm” to complete the transaction. Ensure some funds to pay for transaction costs. The recipient will receive an email notification with instructions on how to claim the gifted NFT.
Nifty Gateway fees structure and pricing
Nifty Gateway has a standard fee system consisting of two different models: V1 and V2, as defined by Nifty’s WalletHub docs.
V1 method
This model is for listings held in Nifty Gateway’s custodial model. With this approach, Nifty Gateway takes a 5% cut of the sale price as a charge. Credit cards, Ethereum wallets or Gemini accounts can all be used to make the payment. Moreover, there are no gas fees associated with these transactions.
V2 method
This is applicable to any vendor that lists an NFT for sale using an Ethereum cryptocurrency wallet like MetaMask. ETH must be used to pay for these transactions, and Nifty Gateway charges a 2.5% fee on the total sale price. Users must pay gas fees when completing these transactions.
Is Nifty Gateway safe?
As with all NFT platforms, it is important to consider the safety and security of using them and ensure your digital assets stay protected. Overall, Nifty Gateway has taken steps to ensure the safety of its users. The platform is backed by reputable investors, and it has been used by many high-profile artists and celebrities.
Nifty Gateway also employs industry-standard security measures, such as encryption and two-factor authentication, to protect users’ accounts and transactions. Moreover, Nifty Gateway benefits from parent company Gemini’s focus on upholding best practices for security in the cryptocurrency industry.
Gemini completes routine bank compliances, follows financial regulations, and uses hardware security and custodial services to maintain the security of the Nifty Gateway wallet. Its custodial system model ensures that the marketplace has ownership of all NFTs listed on its platform.
Despite this, Nifty Gateway isn’t immune to hacks. In March 2021, a few Nifty users complained of an “account takeover,” wherein their NFTs had vanished from their Nifty Gateway accounts. Nifty Gateway claimed that its website had not been infiltrated and that the affected accounts lacked two-factor authentication, compromising their own security. According to reports and certain consumers, Nifty Gateway was successful in recovering the stolen goods.
Moreover, as with any investment or financial transaction, there is always some level of risk involved. NFTs can be volatile, and their value can fluctuate significantly over time. It’s important to do your own research and understand the risks before investing in any NFT.
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Sony Interactive Entertainment, the video game goliath running the PlayStation brand, filed a patent for a framework allowing users to transfer and utilize nonfungible tokens (NFTs) across multiple game platforms.
Over several years, Sony’s interest in crypto has been evidenced by numerous partnerships and trademark registrations. Adding to this list, Sony filed a patent titled “NFT framework for transferring and using digital assets between game platforms.”
Snippet of Sony’s NFT framework patent filing. Source: patentscope.wipo.int
Sony’s NFT framework aims to integrate NFTs into gameplay, wherein the technology can represent skins and other popular in-game functionalities. Summarizing the patent, the abstract explained the intended features:
“Responsive to the determination, the NFT is provided to the first end-user entity so that the digital asset may be used, via the NFT, across plural different computer simulations and/or across plural different computer simulation platforms.”
Moreover, it added that the NFT’s ownership could be transferred to other end-user entities for their own use across different simulations and platforms. The below diagrams detail Sony’s intended use of NFTs in gameplay.
Drawing depicting the workflow of Sony’s NFT framework. Source: patentscope.wipo.int
Once implemented, PlayStation 5 users will be able to experience NFT use cases via mainstream gaming titles. As of December 2022, the total number of active users on the PlayStation Network worldwide was 112 million, which continues to grow year-on-year.
“There are no black-and-white answers in game design,” Bergstrom said while highlighting that GameFi is about adding a new dimension of compelling gameplay to Web2 games.
According to him, gamers don’t care about the technology behind a good game. As a result, crypto entrepreneurs must incorporate “blockchain, NFTs, play and earn, AI [artificial intelligence], G5, or whatever to make a better game, and gamers will buy.”
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 was a “complete game changer” for jeweller Deakin & Francis: its commemorative silver jam spoons, butter knives and teaspoons flew off the shelves. “Sales were enormous,” says managing director Henry Deakin. “We built part of the factory [in Birmingham] on the back of it.”
Seventy years on, the company now best known for its cufflinks is among the British watch and jewellery brands creating pieces to mark the coronation of the UK’s newest monarch. Whether it can replicate its previous success remains to be seen. But Fflur Roberts, head of luxury goods at market research provider Euromonitor International, says big royal events do boost sales.
As well as more footfall from tourists increasing sales in London, she says a collective celebration makes people feel positive. “It’s very much a feeling of coming together and that builds consumer confidence, so people might be more willing to spend, or it might be that they’re inspired by all of the jewels that they will see during the coronation and . . . be encouraged to buy jewellery,” she says.
King Charles III will be crowned with St Edward’s Crown at Westminster Abbey, London on May 6. The crown, made for Charles II in 1661, features on the official coronation emblem created by Sir Jony Ive, former chief design officer at Apple, with its shape formed by flowers representing the four nations of the UK.
Deakin & Francis has used this emblem for one of its eight designs for sterling silver commemorative cufflinks. A temporary relaxation of rules governing the commercial use of royal arms and devices allows for their use on coronation souvenirs. A further six of the jeweller’s designs feature the King’s cipher, while another pair carries a miniature 3D version of the crown. “King Charles has regularly worn our cufflinks so it’s an obvious link,” says Deakin.
He says the event is “good brand recognition” for British companies. “‘Made in England’ is getting stronger and stronger, and what a perfect way to celebrate it with the coronation.”
Annoushka has taken inspiration from the crown for an 18-carat and white gold bejewelled charm, limited to 100 pieces, being released on April 5. The jewels will bear the King Charles III coronation hallmark, depicting the monarch’s head in profile, an optional mark launched this month that can be requested on items hallmarked in the UK until the end of 2024.
“There’s always extra cachet when you can relay a piece of jewellery to a particular time, especially now when the date letter is only an option on hallmarking,” says independent fine jewellery expert Joanna Hardy. “The coronation hallmark of King Charles will denote the period that it was made, and of his coronation.”
Tateossian has made the coronation hallmark the focal point of its rhodium-plated sterling silver King Charles collection, comprising two pairs of cufflinks, a ring, two bracelets and a bangle each limited to 50 pieces, which launches on Monday.
Hardy says the coronation is “a great boost for the industry”. “It gives people a reason to design something a little bit different,” she says.
Hirsh London 18-carat yellow gold and platinum butterfly brooch
David Morris has chosen to create two one-of-a-kind pieces, including a white gold ring with a central 17.5-carat purplish-blue spinel, 7.71 carats of red-pink spinel and two carats of white diamonds, inspired by the design team’s lunchtime walks in the royal parks near the jeweller’s Bond Street atelier.
“There’s such a specific and incredible aesthetic in wrought iron work and regal motifs that you find all over the place, from the benches and old gas lamps [to] things like the gates to Buckingham Palace,” says Julian Medwell, senior designer at David Morris, which made the bespoke dragon statue that adorns the bonnet of the Aston Martin Queen Elizabeth II gave the now king on his 21st birthday in 1969. “There’s little scrolls hidden everywhere and that often trickles back into our sketchbooks.”
Its rhodium-plated white gold tiara with spray motif is set with more than 24 carats of rose-cut, pear-shaped diamonds in a wishbone style. David Morris receives a flurry of requests about tiaras whenever there is a significant royal event. “We cater to a lot of royal families throughout the world, particularly the Middle East, and there are an abundance of princesses,” explains Medwell.
Interest is global. Deakin says his company had customers from Europe and the US “queueing up” for coronation cufflinks before their launch.
On the watchmaking front, William Wood Watches will take five of the 30 pieces in its British Coronation Watch limited edition to sell at the Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco at the end of April. This watch uses the same case as the sellout Triumph Bronze Jubilee, which marked the late queen’s platinum jubilee, but has a British racing green metallic shimmer dial etched with the Union Jack flag. The strap is made from green fire hose used by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, with the brand’s signature ‘In case of fire break glass’ case back also green.
This article is part of the Watches & Jewellery special report, a section covering the business side of the luxury industries. The next edition will publish with the FT worldwide on Monday March 27
Americans “really appreciate being able to purchase [from] a brand that has British quintessential heritage,” says Jonny Garrett, founder of William Wood Watches, “and, when the royal family is layered into it as well, and there’s only 30 pieces available, that definitely helps”.
Sotheby’s is holding a cross-category online sale, between April 21 and May 4, of items relating to the British monarchy past and present. Jewellery lots include one of six identical diamond brooches Queen Elizabeth II gave her coronation maids of honour. The Garrard jewel (estimate £30,000-£50,000) is the second to come to auction. Featuring the initials ER modelled in the late queen’s handwriting, it belonged to Lady Moyra Campbell.
British Coronation Watch from William Wood Watches
In a break from recent tradition, Camilla, Queen Consort has not commissioned a new crown for the coronation but will use Queen Mary’s Crown, made by Garrard for the consort of King George V in 1911, after the piece is reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II’s jewellery collection. Queen Elizabeth II often wore the gems as brooches.
The Cullinan II diamond is in the Imperial State Crown, made by Garrard for the coronation of King George VI in 1937, which King Charles III will also wear during the Westminster Abbey service. A one-off ring made by Boodles to mark the coronation will feature two heart-shaped diamonds from the same mine.
Hirsh London will give its 18-carat yellow gold and platinum butterfly brooch, featuring a central 1.76-carat kite-shaped fancy intense yellow diamond above two green diamonds, pride of place in its Mayfair window. Managing director Sophia Hirsh says the coronation provided the opportunity to “showcase local craftsmanship” with a one-of-a-kind, “technically challenging” piece: the butterfly’s wings, set with yellow diamonds graduating to cognac diamonds on the tips, were created with en tremblant movement, mounted on springs to quiver with each motion of the wearer.
She wanted the piece to reflect the environmental efforts of the “Climate King”. “Butterflies are also a symbol of change and transformation so it seemed an appropriate tribute,” she says.
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A recent review of Nigerian banks’ bond portfolios showed that the institutions were not directly exposed to Silicon Valley Bank, the governor of the country’s central bank has said. In addition, the governor said the Central Bank of Nigeria’s stringent guidelines help to create a “very safe” banking system.
Priority Given to Depositors
According to the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, a recent review of Nigerian banks’ bond portfolios showed that the country’s financial institutions had no direct exposure to Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). Emefiele, who made the remarks during a meeting of the bank’s monetary policy committee, added that the central bank’s so-called prudential guidelines help to ensure that only healthy banks are allowed to operate.
Some of the guidelines and considerations used by the CBN include banks’ non-performing loans (NPL), which averaged 4.2%, and the capital adequacy ratio of 13.7%. According to Emefiele, these ratios, as well as the banks’ average liquidity and loan-to-deposit ratios of 43% and 52% respectively, indicate that Nigerian banks are “very safe.”
Also, in his remarks published by Nairametrics, Emefiele implied that the central bank has and will always prioritize bank customers.
“We will rather dispose of shareholders than make depositors lose money,” Emefiele said.
To support this claim, Emefiele is quoted in the report stating no Nigerian depositor has lost money to a failed bank since 2003.
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Terence Zimwara
Terence Zimwara is a Zimbabwe award-winning journalist, author and writer. He has written extensively about the economic troubles of some African countries as well as how digital currencies can provide Africans with an escape route.
Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons, Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.com
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If I cast my mind back to the time I joined womenswear brand Wallis — which was my first job, not counting Pizza Hut and the kitchens of Warwick Castle — I remember the thrill, the excitement and the fear all mashed into one. And, then, oh God, what on earth to wear? It’s an important question to have considered well in advance of your first day.
Think back to the interview process: how were the interviewers dressed? Use that as your first cue. I am not suggesting you copy exactly what they were wearing; it is more about noticing what type of clothing they had on. Was it straightforward smart like a newsreader (fitted tailoring, shift dresses, suits, ties, blazers, pressed shirts and polished shoes)? Or very casual (think Mark Zuckerberg: T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies with pale jeans or sweatpants with a knit and trainers)? Alternatively, perhaps it was the so-called “business casual”. Dark jeans, for example, with a V-neck sweater and a shirt but no tie; chinos or cotton trousers, with a shirt and cardigan, or lots of knitwear.
You might even find all of these workwear styles together in one company, but this does not mean you can dress just as you wish.
Ideally, ask to pop in to the office before you start so that you can be introduced to the team. We sometimes don’t notice the surroundings when we are focused on an interview so this is your opportunity to see what everyone is wearing, and where your desk is — useful for gauging the temperature. Ask your line manager for guidance on what to wear if you are not sure.
I truly wish I’d had a guide on how to dress when I started in my first job. I hope these dos and don’ts can help you navigate this exciting new start.
Dos
If you were sent recruitment literature or a company brochure (this may be on their website), check it for dress codes or clues as to what kind of apparel is expected. Is there a “dress down Friday”? This usually indicates a slight relaxing of the dress code, rather than wearing the stuff you use to slob around the house. Also, see if there are guidelines for what not to wear.
Be yourself and, rather than attempting trends, aim to stay on the side of classic — at least to begin with until you see how the land lies. I realise this is boring but it means you have a little respite until you work out your groove.
Know the environment. Is it hot or cold? Have a back-up item in your bag in case the office is like the Sahara (or you are beside the radiator) or the air conditioning makes it Arctic freezing. Have a cardigan or a long sleeved top to change into. Like a cub scout, be prepared.
You will probably not have a lot of cash to spend so borrow, swap or prioritise buying just a couple of brand-new items if you can. I’d spend my money on a good shoe, such as a smart loafer, brogue, slip-on trainer or a low heel. Look at Office and John Lewis for a mix of brands at good price points, or retailers such as Russell & Bromley or Oliver Sweeney. I would also invest in a tailored trouser, as you really do get what you pay for in tailoring. Spend as much as you can here: try Reiss, Theory, Joseph or J Crew. Alternatively, try second-hand. Then you can add a tee or a shirt, a sweater, and a blazer if needed. You may require a suit — not the end of the world as it can be broken into separates and worn in a more smart casual way, too.
Can you borrow a nice bag, such as an A4 sized tote, for your essentials? That manky rucksack won’t cut it, I’m afraid. Try John Lewis, Asos or Whistles for smart options.
Plan outfits to cover five days (if you’re full time) and rotate.
Be presentable. This means clothes are ironed or steamed, and hung up.
Check for holes, marks, or, God forbid, stains. Make sure the pieces are as immaculate as they can be. Others notice our clothes and you want to feel proud, not uncomfortable.
If you wear make-up, keep it minimal and as natural as possible. You can always start to express yourself when you’re really established.
Check things fit you well. If they don’t, you will be endlessly fiddling and feel distracted. You need to know that, once you’re dressed, you don’t have to think about it anymore; then you can focus on the exciting new environment you are in.
Don’ts
Avoid slogan tees, knits or tops. You don’t want to offend anyone unnecessarily in your first week.
If you have multiple piercings, you may want to remove them for the time being. Ask if there is a policy on tattoos — some companies are fine with them, but you may want to keep them covered.
Ditto extreme amounts of make-up — save it for the weekend.
The author is a stylist and FT columnist
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A nonfungible token (NFT) from the CryptoPunks collection worth 77 Ether (ETH) was sent to a burn address to be permanently destroyed. However, the collector’s intent was just to borrow some money against it to buy another NFT.
NFT collector Brandon Riley added CryptoPunk #685 to his collection on March 13 by paying 77 ETH, hoping to hold it for the long term.
Now feels like an appropriate time to introduce #BAYC 586 to #Punk 685 (acquired a week ago). Hope to hold both for a decade… LGF! pic.twitter.com/SLb68rY6MR
As a seasoned investor, Riley knew the importance of procuring new NFTs right before crypto markets took off into a new bull market. As a result, he decided to borrow some money against CryptoPunk #685 by using a popular technique known as wrapping.
I did do the first part with my own address I’m step 2. But then when I got to step 5 the burn address was the one listed under “9. proxyInfo” and I was told to follow the directions exactly, so I did. I just shouldn’t have attempted this on my own I guess.
While going through the unfamiliar process of wrapping NFTs, Riley accidentally sent the asset to a burn address — which permanently deleted the NFT from circulation, as shown below.
Trading history of CryptoPunk $#685. Source: dappradar.com
“I was told to follow the directions exactly, so I did,” explained Riley, but in the process, he ended up losing 77 ETH, which was worth $135,372.16. He explained:
“I was not wrapping this punk to sell it on Blur. It was to be my “forever punk.” The number is exact reverse of my ape. I was only wrapping it because I needed to borrow some liquidity from it.”
While members of Crypto Twitter believed that the NFT collector must have had “deep pockets,” Riley contradicted the rumors by revealing that he had purchased CryptoPunk #685 through borrowed money.
“I just shouldn’t have attempted this on my own I guess,” was Riley’s takeaway from the conundrum. On the other hand, Crypto Twitter also blamed confusing user interfaces and complex instructions for the investor’s loss. As a result, the community unanimously agreed on the need to revamp the front-end processes for crypto ecosystems.
NFT wash trading increased by 126% in February, confirmed a CoinGecko report. The top six NFT marketplaces — Magic Eden, OpenSea, Blur, X2Y2, CryptoPunks and LooksRare. X2Y2, Blur and LooksRare — saw a rise in wash trading for the fourth straight month, with a total volume of $580 million.
Venture capital firm and Web3 game developer Animoca Brands has refuted claims that it scaled back its Metaverse fund target by $200 million, or 20% to $800 million amid volatility in the crypto market and instability in the banking sector.
The firm also down-played suggestions that its valuation has plummeted from $6 billion as of July 2022 to roughly $2 billion in March 2023.
Stemming from a March 24 Reuters report that cited anonymous “people familiar with the matter,” it was claimed that Animoca initially halved its $2 billion Metaverse fund target in January, and then recently followed that up by cutting it down another 20% to $800 million.
The fund in question was announced in November, with the goal of allocating capital to mid to late-stage startups with a Metaverse focus. At the time, Animoca co-founder and chairman Yat Siu outlined that the fund target was between $1 billion to $2 billion, depending on how much capital was raised.
In a public statement shared with Cointelegraph, Animoca stated that “the claim that the Animoca Capital fund target was ‘cut’ from $2 billion to $1 billion is not correct, because $1 billion has always been within the range declared.”
The firm did acknowledge that the banking collapses in the U.S. have of course had an impact, but stressed that the final amount raised for the fund has yet to be determined.
“There’s no doubt that the FTX and banking crises have had a serious impact on available venture capital, but fundraising for the Animoca Capital fund is in progress. When the raise is concluded we will inform the market with the appropriate details, including the final size of this fund,” the firm stated.
Commenting on the leaked information, Siu told Cointelegraph that given the information came from unnamed sources, it “makes it difficult to ascertain exactly who or what the sources and agenda are, which is unfortunate.”
“Angry Birds was not created by Activision.” @viewfromhk, CEO of @animocabrands, explains in our exclusive chat at @ParisBlockWeek that major game companies don’t always drive innovation.
Concerning the company’s valuation, Animoca asserted that the figures reported by Reuters and the “two other” unnamed people cited were inaccurate.
Animoca’s shares (AB1) were initially listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in the firm’s early days. However, AB1 was delisted back in March 2020 due the ASX’s assertions that Animoca had breached its listing rules by being involved in crypto-related activities, among other things.
Since then, its shares have traded on unlisted stock-focused exchanges such as the Sydney-based PrimaryMarkets.
The data from this platform was used to calculate a total market cap of AB1 at around roughly $2 billion. However, Animoca argues that these figures don’t paint the full picture of the company’s total valuation.
AB1 stock price: PrimaryMarkets
“The claim […] that Animoca Brands ‘now trades its shares on PrimaryMarkets’ is not technically correct. We terminated our arrangement with PrimaryMarkets in the second half of 2020, but PrimaryMarkets chose to continue to trade Animoca Brands shares on its platform,” the firm stated, adding that:
“We do not consider the thin trading activity on PrimaryMarkets to accurately reflect the company’s value. Trading volume is far too low to provide the price accuracy you would find on an actual primary market.”
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Part of the FT Schools programme, this is a practical guide to help students with career planning, including advice on choosing a rewarding path, tips on making an impact, what to wear in your first job, and employment prospects across a range of sectors
Are you ready for the future of learning and work? The rapid expansion of technology, and especially artificial intelligence, is altering the job market, resulting in both new opportunities and challenges. It is a chief concern for students thinking about their employment prospects.
The trend towards digitalisation and AI is well under way in many industries, allowing some technical skills to be automated, and leading employers to place a greater emphasis on human-centric skills such as problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, cognitive agility and empathy. The ability to master these skills is becoming crucial to thrive in the job market today, and will be even more important in the future.
However, most education systems prioritise knowledge transfer, memorisation and standardised tests, and fail to cultivate human-centric skills. It is therefore vital for young people to actively seek out opportunities to build them. This requires reflection, cultivating a sense of purpose and taking action to put it into practice.
Employers are recognising the power of purpose to foster commitment and motivation towards shared goals, and to create a high-performance work culture. Purpose-driven employees serve as role models who inspire others and encourage collaboration while prioritising their own wellbeing. They help to create inclusive environments that attract and retain talented employees, and are invested in the success of the organisation.
Tarek Chehidi
By developing a connection to the world around them, and a deeper understanding of the systemic issues that exist within it, students can strengthen skills such as empathy, collaboration and problem solving.
For example, Esther Oluwaremilekun Odekunle, an 18-year-old student taught through the Teach For Nigeria programme and member of Teach For All’s global Student Leader Advisory Council, worked with her peers to develop and implement a digital skills programme for young people, after discovering that only three in every 20 students in her community in Lagos were confident in using technology. Through the initiative, Esther learnt about her community’s needs, found a sense of purpose and practised collaborative skills. Her motivation was not to improve employability, but the skills she developed are exactly those that will set her up to thrive in a changing workplace.
Most education systems prioritise knowledge transfer, memorisation and standardised tests, and fail to cultivate human-centric skills
When students have a purpose and pursue opportunities that align with this, they tend to engage in activities that lead to unexpected outcomes, such as becoming more agile and adaptive, or expanding their outlook.
Raquel Jardim, for instance, is another member of Teach For All’s Student Leader Advisory Council. The 18-year-old Brazilian used to believe she was only suited to a career in humanities and had come to assume that she disliked Stem subjects — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. However, her involvement in a “women in Stem” movement at school exposed Raquel to a new environment and people she would not normally connect with, shifting her perception of her ability to learn maths. She discovered strengths she did not know she had, which opened up new career opportunities.
World of Work: free online event for students
Join us on Monday 27 March at 2pm — 3.30pm BST for a digital event hosted by FT Schools, offering more practical advice on skill building and career planning, and live Q&A. Sessions will be available to watch on-demand as well.
These are uncertain times, to be sure. Young people may look at the road ahead and worry about the number of today’s jobs which may soon be obsolete. But the rapid pace of change is also creating endless possibilities for careers.
Now, more than ever, it is possible for young people to bridge the gap between purpose and work, and channel their energy towards solving some of the biggest societal challenges, such as inequality, poverty and climate change.
Those about to enter the workplace have the power to shape its future for the benefit of us all. Compared to the old certainties we are leaving behind, this prospect is far more enticing.
The author is head of non-profit organisation Teach For All’s Future of Work initiative
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Most of us are not used to pitching for a job in writing. And many of us may shy away from selling ourselves in an interview. But gathering your relevant experience and presenting it effectively can make your application stand out — and make all the difference.
It did for Sophie Pender, a 26-year-old lawyer, who clearly recalls the moment she secured a training contract at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. “It was my mum’s birthday — I remember getting the call and nearly choking on a meatball!” She saw the news as a reward for putting in “so much effort and time”.
Recruiters say a good application will have three qualities: being error-free, on target and personalised. So you need to have a sense of what the organisation you are applying to does and what the role entails — and then draw on your experience to personalise your application.
Pender, who is now at London law firm Bates Wells, says she had wanted to pursue law at 16, but was put off when an acquaintance warned her there were few available jobs. She studied English instead at the University of Bristol but, in 2017, was accepted on a legal training programme sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills, starting with a two-year law conversion course.
In the application process, she was able to demonstrate skills such as conflict resolution, which she learnt in part-time jobs while at school — first at McDonald’s and later at department store John Lewis. “Law is all about customer service, presenting things to your client in a way that is really easy to digest,” says Pender. “I think working in sales really helped.”
Employers advise stepping back, connecting the dots and thinking about where you have made a difference. Toby Horner, early talent acquisition manager at law firm Clifford Chance, says competitive candidates demonstrate the impact they have made at work or in extracurricular activities.
World of Work: free online event for students
Join us on Monday 27 March at 2pm — 3.30pm BST for a digital event hosted by FT Schools, offering more practical advice on skill building and career planning, and live Q&A. Sessions will be available to watch on-demand as well.
Pender, for example, founded the 93% Club at university, a network that aims to improve social mobility for state school students. This was demanding to juggle alongside work, but she learnt to prioritise and co-ordinate with other volunteers.
You can also seek out insight days, internships and holiday schemes run by companies and charities, says Horner, to give yourself the extra edge and improve your understanding of what it means to work in a particular role or industry.
The Social Mobility Business Partnership offers 16 to 18-year-olds from low income backgrounds in the UK the chance to participate in a week-long insight programme, which includes visits to the offices of organisations such as the BBC and Microsoft, and joining a resilience workshop at a professional sports club.
One programme participant, 26-year-old Muhammad Gangat, says spending time with the legal team at real estate company Landsec exposed him to the variety of work in the legal profession. “I just thought, wow, every day looks so different and you clearly learn so much. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.” He is now a trainee at law firm Hogan Lovells in London.
“Never say no to an opportunity,” advises Gangat, who worked part-time in a warehouse while in the sixth form and was a tutorial teacher at university. “Seek out part-time work, take up a hobby, learn a skill, a language or even reach out to local businesses to try to get some work experience.”
This could even mean pursuing opportunities abroad. Lucy Miller, a 25-year-old policy officer at the civil society network Human Rights Consortium Scotland, did just that when she spent a year studying in Sydney, Australia, as part of her degree at the University of Glasgow. She made the most of her time by working in a call centre and as a research assistant, and interned for a charity.
Seek out part-time work, take up a hobby, learn a skill, a language, or try and get work experience
“Experience gave me a sense of what I should be asking for in a role,” she says. Miller had originally aspired to be a journalist covering human rights but, by picking up skills in Sydney, realised she could engage with these issues through policy and public relations.
If all this sounds like spinning too many plates, it helps to slow down and prioritise. Ask professionals on LinkedIn for advice on working in a specific field, says Gaelle Blake, head of permanent appointments for the UK and Ireland at recruitment firm Hays.
Rather than applying for every role you find, it is better to choose quality over quantity, says Anoushka Dossa, director of intern recruitment at Creative Access, a charity that provides career support and access to the UK creative industries. “Consider earnings, benefits, corporate social responsibility — all the things that are important to you.”
Recruiters suggest noting experience that matches the job description when drafting a cover letter. Applications should “remain professional whilst also depicting a candidate’s personality”, says Blake.
Keeping track of your achievements helps. Gangat, for instance, has a notebook spanning nearly a decade, listing work experience and projects he has participated in.
For anyone worried about not having enough experience, Horner’s advice is to keep it simple: “Reflect on what you have done and think about how you can piece that together in a way that does sound compelling.”
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Cydney has a year to go before finishing her studies at Baldwin High School in Long Island, New York but, having decided she wants a career in digital media, she has already spent time in two companies and held discussions with a mentor to help her achieve her aim.
“His message was to put yourself out there: opportunities won’t just come to you,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to ask or to fail.”
She is in one of the school’s multiple “career academies”, which provide guidance and link students with relevant workplaces.
The goal is to motivate and engage students, giving them projects that will help increase their chances of future employment.
And it is needed as there is a large gap in knowledge, expectations and skills between millions of young people and the employers they wish to work for.
Graphics: skills for a changing workplace
Scroll further down to see some charts highlighting how demand for different skills is changing
For students, information on careers and what they truly involve is sparse and incomplete. Meanwhile, their aspirations can be limited by their own contacts, information and local opportunities.
Often, their teachers have little professional experience outside education; and the knowledge of family members can be narrow, shaped in a very different era. Careers services tend to be underfunded, ill-equipped or non-existent.
As for employers, they have complained for decades that their new hires are not “work-ready” and leave school or college without the necessary attributes. Beyond basic numeracy and literacy, that often means interpersonal and so-called “soft” skills.
So this World of Work guide, accompanied by a free online event, is designed to help students decide on subjects to study, activities beyond the classroom, and whether to continue in full-time education, enter the workforce or combine the two with training or apprenticeships.
Join us on Monday 27 March at 2pm – 3.30pm BST for a digital event hosted by FT Schools, offering more practical advice on skill building and career planning, and live Q&A. Sessions will be available to watch on-demand as well.
The range of jobs available and the ways to obtain them vary widely between countries and regions, and among students with different backgrounds and talents.
Nancy Matimu, managing director for Kenya at entertainment company MultiChoice, says: “We see two sets of students: those from wealthy families — the few who have the luxury to take a gap year, with lots of opportunities to figure out what courses to get on to — and the rest, who live in poverty and are looking to get into work as soon as possible.”
But, just as in other parts of the world, she points to a huge demand for digital skills and a growing openness by employers to recruit based on talent rather than connections — with chances for students who do their research to find the best courses and recruitment networks. “How you present yourself, your posture, how you communicate — impressions do count,” Matimu adds.
The good news, overall, is that a growing number of career resources are now available.
The modern workplace has also become more open and dynamic; competencies count as much as purely academic subjects or performance; and “jobs for life” have been replaced by flexibility, so no decision need be final.
Oli de Botton, head of the UK’s Careers and Enterprise Company, says: “It’s important for young people to be destination-secure but pathway agnostic. There are some fantastic skills-based routes out there. Consider experiences as well as academic results. And remember that careers last a lifetime and change over time. Finding a place where you can thrive is the goal.”
With that in mind, here are eight tips for success in life after school:
Do your research. There is a mismatch between expectations and requirements for many career paths, but online resources can help close the gap. National careers services and non-profit organisations offer tool kits, provide information and nurture life skills (see resources box). Read the FT to learn more about employers, sectors and themes.
Network. Take every chance to ask people for advice: friends, family, contacts, others you can reach through social networks such as LinkedIn. If you ask for a few minutes of advice rather than a job, most people are happy to help and may steer you to future opportunities when the time is right.
Remember there are many fulfilling careers. There is a fresh focus on the importance of “heart, hand and mind” rather than simply intellectual ability. Projections by the OECD suggest that demand for routine tasks — manual and cognitive — is in decline, but it is growing for non-routine tasks. AI and coding cannot replace skilled jobs such as plumbing, cooking and caring.
Accept that university is not for everyone. University is a chance for the intellectually curious to explore and be stretched, and build a network of friends. But not everyone can afford or will enjoy it, or is ready for it so young. There are other ways to continue education while working, such as degree apprenticeships.
Don’t think a job is forever. The days of employment for life are largely over. Most careers in future will involve multiple activities and employers. Students need to be prepared for roles that have not yet even been defined or invented. A decision today is not locked in for a lifetime.
Acquire hard and soft skills. Literacy and numeracy are important, as are new skills such as coding. But so are practical skills, including clear communication, critical thinking, creativity and being able to get on well with others and put them at ease.
Value experiences as well as qualifications. Academic performance is important, but employers want evidence of different capacities: work experience, volunteering, family support and activities outside the classroom can show leadership, initiative, compassion and teamwork.
Keep learning. Increasingly, we will all need to spend more time in training to keep up to date with technology and learn new skills. Education will in the future be more of a continuum throughout life rather than something focused on young people before or at the start of their careers.
Skills for a changing workplace
These charts draw on analysis from the World Economic Forum and the OECD, to show how the demand for different skills is changing as the world of work evolves.
As you can see in chart 1, the demand for “soft skills” — such as critical thinking and problem-solving — is on the rise. And chart 2 highlights the growing shift away from routine, manual and unskilled work towards non-routine cognitive work that cannot be easily automated.
Wider societal trends, including an ageing population, and greater use of technology, are also driving growth in certain sectors, including healthcare and education, where there are currently not enough workers with the right skills to meet demand, see chart 3.
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