Plan ₿ Summer School triumphed in its goal to cultivate a generation of new talent to blockchain with a vast majority of attendees falling in the millennial age group

Tether Operations Limited (Tether), the technology company supporting the blockchain-enabled platform that powers the largest stablecoin by market capitalization (USD₮) and the Swiss City of Lugano announced the culmination of its Plan ₿ Summer School which saw participation from 86 students spanning 29 nations. The program was launched to bring crypto education to the masses by shaping a new generation of business owners, students, researchers, and more.

Well received by the public, the Plan ₿ Summer School gathered students from across the globe eager to learn more about the challenges of a new industry and its technological implications including from countries such as Italy, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, Canada, Netherlands, Dubai, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Australia, and Germany. The vast interest from students from all different backgrounds is testament of the global interest in Bitcoin and blockchain technology and the need for more educational programs to address the intricacies of the industry.

Of the students who participated in the Plan ₿ Summer School, one in three were women. A large portion of participants also skewed toward millennials with backgrounds in economics, finance, marketing communications and law. The program’s ability to attract interest from a diverse demographic of participants with varying professional and educational backgrounds reflect the global interest in Bitcoin and blockchain technologies. 

“The Plan ₿ Summer School provided me an amazing opportunity to network with people from around the world and deepen my knowledge of the blockchain and crypto industry,” said Rodrigo Pecoraro, an Italian student who attended the program. He also added that “coming from an asset management background, it was very interesting to see a new way to manage assets in the digital economy.”

“Many students were happy with the program,” said Lisa Lin, a Taiwanese journalist who specifically came for the occasion. She reported that the class was really intensive but people were willing to share their knowledge. “I particularly enjoyed the compliance class where the head of compliance at Tether gave a clear picture of the regulation structures in the industry and the world.”

“Tether understands that education is key to innovation and I was delighted to work directly with a new generation of talent striving to understand the blockchain and decentralized technologies,” said Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether. “The goal of this program was to encourage people to participate in web3 companies or venture on their own entrepreneurship journey using the vast amounts of open-sourced technologies that are currently available. As an industry, it is our responsibility to provide the necessary tools to onboard new builders and leaders, and Plan ₿ Summer School took the first step in making that a reality in Lugano.” 

Co-organized with Franklin University Switzerland (FUS), Plan ₿ Summer School welcomed a new young generation of talent. Coming from an economic or financial background, but also marketing, communication or legal fields, the student population was made up of a large portion of  (more than 20%) millennials. A study from Piplsay recently reported that 49% of millennials polled own cryptocurrency, compared to 13% of GenZ. With an average age of 27, it was with great surprise to see that now recent grads and young professionals not only want to experience the development of these technologies but also participate actively and potentially find employment in the space. 

“Franklin University has been ranked as a Top 10 University supporting ethical values and social responsibility, so working alongside the leaders who are building next generation technologies that can improve on transparency while promoting social good is very much aligned with our mission and vision,” said Kim Hildebrant, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Franklin University Switzerland. “We are inspired by the turn out of the first program and look forward to hosting more curious minds and aspiring builders and entrepreneurs on our campus.” 

During the course, students were taught about the Bitcoin protocol, Lightning Network as a layer- 2 solution, stablecoins, consensus mechanisms used by cryptocurrencies and the fundamentals of the ecosystem including compliance and regulations. The event was oversubscribed just a few days after launch attracting many determined minds who were eager to learn from the industry’s most prominent voices. 

The Plan ₿ Summer School was sponsored by Tether, Bitfinex, Città di Lugano, Polygon, Alber Blanc among others. Following the program, Tether and the City of Lugano held a job fair to continue to foster the future of the blockchain industry supported by Bitfinex, Città di Lugano, Enigma21, Polygon, Gocrypto, Alber Blanc, Casinò di Lugano and Noku who were present to provide career information, job offers and internships.

“We are beyond thrilled with the turnout and attendance of the Plan ₿ Summer School and believe that Lugano has made its mark as a crypto and educational hub for years to come,” said Michele Foletti, Mayor of the City of Lugano at the program’s closing ceremony. “We hope to see many new faces entering the crypto ecosystem as developers, founders, and more, as a result of this course.”