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Paf launches tech school

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The Nordic gaming company Paf will start up and run a tech education for 50 software developers. The education is carried out completely without teachers and classes, where the student’s own ability to develop is in focus. Paf was given the task to start up the education from the Government of Åland.

grit:lab is a new and alternative IT education that in 2022 will start educating 50 students to become tech developers of the future. The education is a kind of coding school that is based on the 01 edu platform’s pedagogy, an alternative education in contrast to the traditional education within IT. The education is completely project-based, teacher free and without regular classes and follows a gamified two-year learning process.

“This is an interesting and exciting educational concept, where students learn to learn for themselves. It will be an excellent complement to current education and I think that a learning process without regular classes can be good for many students,” says Annika Hambrudd, Minister of Education in Åland’s provincial government.

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The need for tech-talented people is great both on Åland and throughout the Nordic region.

“This is an important investment for our tech companies in Åland, which have a large demand for IT-educated personnel. I strongly believe in this modern concept of educating oneself in IT. Where different people with different backgrounds are combined with the creativity that exists in the Paf house,” says Fredrik Karlström, Minister of Trade and Industry in Åland’s provincial government.
Campus in Paf’s headquarters
The training will be run by Paf in Paf’s head office on Åland. It gives students an excellent proximity to the latest technology and a tech inspired campus environment.

“We are convinced that this will be good and in the end grit:lab can help us find the tech talents we need.”

“But the training is not only for Paf, it is for all IT companies. And we hope that many companies want to become partner companies for the education program so that we together can both help and get help from the IT students,” says Daniela Johansson deputy CEO and CRO at Paf.
An excellent education for a career within tech
The foundation for the education began in France and there are now similar educations in 40 different countries around the world. No previous basic knowledge of coding or IT is needed, in order to be admitted to the education.

“grit:lab is looking for those who have talent and the right personal drive forward, regardless of their age, gender or where they come from. I have no doubt that these students will get a tech job after their education,” says Francois Maugis, CTO at Paf.

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Applications, in the form of an online test, will open around the turn of the year 2021/2022. Based on the first stage of tests, 150 persons can go on to the next step in the application process, after which 50 students will be allowed to start their education for free in the grit:lab in August 2022.

“The people we are looking for are people who have a logical mind set but above all have a commitment and the will to develop themselves. Talent alone without effort, is not enough to achieve results.”

“If you want to be part of grit:lab, you need to have ‘grit’, the energy and a passion to find solutions so that you get past obstacles and setbacks with the help of others without giving up. When it is challenging, you are driven by the desire to move forward towards the goal and at the same time along the way you like to collaborate and co-create solutions together with others,” says Anna-Lena Svenblad Development Director at Paf and Paf’s project manager for grit:lab.

Powered by 01Edu (the internationally-acclaimed pedagogy co-founded by Nicolas Sadirac), the course is teacherless, with students solving gamified projects at their own pace while learning from their peers. With a renowned industry-leading reputation, the curriculum has been rigorously designed for learning skills of the digital world and technology industry. Taking a different approach than the classic teaching methods, learning is facilitated through a collective and co-creative process in a professional environment.

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IAGA

The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) Announces 2024 International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C.

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The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its 41st International Gaming Summit Monday, May 27 through Thursday, May 30, 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.

As a premier event that brings together leaders from all global gaming sectors, the Summit will provide operators, suppliers, attorneys, investors, bankers, regulators and other advisor delegates with an unparalleled opportunity to meet and discuss the most important issues facing gaming.

“We are looking forward to holding this year’s 41st Annual International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C., and are pleased to announce an agenda that includes a specific focus on some of the key sports betting issues the rapidly expanding US market is facing. As part of this focus, we will bring together representatives from global sports betting operators, regulatory agencies, professional sports leagues and other experts to discuss how the industry’s sports betting stakeholders can better work together to ensure a sustainable, responsible sports betting environment that is built on best practices lessons learned from other markets,” John Stawyskyj, President of IAGA, said.

“Beyond our sports betting focus, our diverse agenda includes discussions on other issues of importance including the growing impact of fraud and cyber breaches on regulated operators, a look into the federal and state lobbying process, an update on what’s happening in other gaming markets outside North America, a deep dive into new technologies and how they might impact gaming and more. I look forward to welcoming our delegates to Washington and participating with them in lively discussions about these critical issues and more,” Stawyskyj added.

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Charlie Skinner

Marker Trax Appoints John Henderson as Senior Vice President of Operations

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Marker Trax, a leader in cashless payment solutions for the gambling industry, has announced the appointment of John Henderson as its senior vice president of operations.

As the company continues solidifying its cashless payments sector leadership position, Henderson joins the team to play a key role in leading strategic planning efforts, executing new operator and customer initiatives, directing pursuit of key performance indicators, and ensuring overall product and technology quality control. He reports directly to, and will work closely with, Marker Trax President Charlie Skinner.

Henderson is a seasoned, energetic industry veteran who brings to Marker Trax more than four decades of success in delivering technology-based business solutions, leading innovation-forward companies seeking to increase their industry footprints and to solidify their market shares.

“We’re cementing our leadership position in the cashless space, and John is the right leader, at the right time, to help guide us there. He has tactical expertise, and a long track record of success in the IT space. More than that, though, he’s always eager to innovate – which aligns perfectly with our philosophy and goals. We’re lucky to have him on board,” Charlie Skinner, President of Marker Trax, said.

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Immediately prior to joining Marker Trax, Henderson served as chief information officer at WorldStrides, a global leader in educational travel services, and helped the company navigate a business and IT transformation program. Henderson has also held client partner roles at Accenture, IBM, and Cognizant, and has served numerous global brands including Choice Hotels, Hilton Hotels, MGM Resorts, Wynn, Disney, and Royal Caribbean.

“Every step of his career, John’s shown natural aptitude for client relationship management and large-scale systems integrations, and a keen, tactical eye for optimizing performance at all levels of an operation. At Marker Trax, we’re increasing our market footprint through continual innovation, and John’s tactical leadership will be of tremendous benefit to reaching our goals,” Skinner said.

Henderson’s addition caps a prolific run of recent accomplishments for the company. It recently unveiled its innovative consumer product, Moolah Play, secured renewed commitment from partner and global payments leader Euronet Worldwide Inc., and is introducing its cashless credit technology into more markets around the country.

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Adam Wexler

PrizePicks Announces New Chief People Officer and Key Responsible Gaming Hire

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PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced the hiring of Renee White as its Chief People Officer (CPO), reporting to Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Adam Wexler. The company also announced the appointment of Phil Sherwood as Senior Director of Responsible Gaming.

Renee White: White will build upon PrizePicks’ incredible people operations team to help lead the company through its next phase of growth and expansion, bringing decades of experience from blue chip organizations. Most recently, White spent nearly two decades at Warner Bros. Discovery in various leadership roles, delivering strategic guidance to senior-level management, demonstrating a deep understanding of complex organizational structure and operations. She last served as the Head of People & Culture for Turner Sports, Bleacher Report and Turner Studios, leading the HR function, guiding long-term strategy along with building a diverse and inclusive culture. White started her career with Turner Broadcasting supporting several divisions within the organization including the Atlanta Braves as their HR Manager. White will be based in Atlanta and serve as a member of PrizePicks’ executive leadership team.

Phil Sherwood: Sherwood will lead the evolution of PrizePicks’ responsible gaming initiatives to continue fostering a safe, responsible and secure daily fantasy sports experience. His unique perspective and strategic vision will help position PrizePicks as the gold standard in responsible gaming within the fantasy sports industry. Sherwood most recently served as Chief Communications Officer at the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MACGH) spearheading groundbreaking initiatives such as the first statewide Remote Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) Program and led the creation of a 24/7 LiveChat platform. Prior to MACGH, Sherwood was the President of the Board of Directors for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) where he drove significant advancement in responsible gaming on a national scale.

“Renee and Phil bring invaluable experience that will accelerate our growth as a company. Renee’s storied career as a people leader and her ties to the Atlanta community cannot be understated; having her join us at such a crucial phase for the company is pivotal. Combined with Phil expanding upon our responsible gaming initiatives, I’m excited to see both play a role in ensuring our business continues to prioritize its two most valued assets: our people and our players,” Adam Wexler, Co-founder & CEO of PrizePicks, said.

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