#NetAcad Team at the Wings For Life #worldrun

Many of you read about the Wings for Life World Run or heard about it on the radio on the 5th of May 2014. There were lots of  media reports from the first ever global race.  With more than 50.000 runners registered and 35.397 who finished the race, this was a huge event. The first time ever that such a large number of people were doing an activity at exactly the same time (day or night at your location) with exactly the same goal – running for those who can’t.

I had the opportunity and honor to invite a team from the Cisco Networking Academy to the Global Race Control Center in Austria to learn about the technology that makes such an event possible. By following my goal to put motivation back into learning context, I found real world learning behind the scenes at events or technology solutions a great way to engage students, mentor them, show them how the world of work actually looks like, what it encompasses and let them see their possible future unfold.

At the same time everyone learns, each team member from his or her own perspective. The technology is one part of the lesson but what is equally or even more important are the so called soft skills that can only come from practical experience. Working in teams, communication in a global world, dealing with problems, applying your knowledge in a complex environment needs strategy, the power of observation,the passion for what you do and the feeling for people at the same time.

In the end what you personally learn counts. The learning takes a different shape for each person. My team described their own lessons:

How cool it is to find his special twist to IT Networking from Nathan Boone

How an understanding team can make you have the courage to try something new from Maximilian Lehrbaum

How a moving finish line still creates only winners from Felix Hartung

How it feels to work in 200% enthusiastic team from Kevin Van Ryckegem

How mutual respect kickstarts team work from Ivica Vugrinec

How such a race can be completely different even for a running Networking Specialist from Christoph Malin

We all shared the experience of doing something that has never been done before. Blogging and twittering, creating videos and publishing them on Youtube, connecting to other Networking Academy Students from another school or university and from another country while at the same time sharing the interest and knowledge in Networking Technology.

Of course, there is also a learning in this for me. As a teacher and mentor working with student teams identifying ideas with potential to grow and become reality, I know that each semester, every project is different because of different people invested, involved and executing. This is the people aspect of technology that needs more attention. I need to be able to stop the wheel from turning and point to the moment of learning, the moment of insight, at least for a few seconds to make understanding evolve, let the integration of knowledge happen so it becomes part of the competencies of the person. Timing is everything – in our fast life and in a race, in a global race, that united so many people with one goal at the same exact time.

This race is definitely writing history. What is the recipe for such an success ?

• A multi stakeholder collaboration
• A common goal
• No conflicts of interest
• 100% of dedication to the cause

The Wings for Life World Run is the first time ever that a global race took place in 33 countries and 34 locations at the same time. For me it was the proof that we can all do something together at the same time. It was the proof that the technology we have at our fingertips can actually bring us together and unite our minds and spirits for one cause.

This is a wonderful and very powerful realization.

Get involved! On May 3^th 2015 – your lives could change.

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IN A NUTSHELL
About the race – 50.000 people running in one race
About the idea – Interview with Sigurd Meiche Lesson in passion
About the timing – Interview with Alexander Knauff Timing is everything
About the network – Interview with Bas Sanders Technical challenges

About the Netacad Team :: Maximilian :: Felix :: Ivica :: Nathan :: Kevin
About their insights Only winners :: More and more :: Something special :: Enthusiasts :: Mutual respect
Running reporter Christoph

Netacad Worldrun Youtube channel
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