In this episode of the Digital Edge, Idris Fabiyi is joined by Frank Gartland, the Chief Product & Technology Officer at Skillable, to dismantle the myth of the "Certified Expert."

As AI continues to lower the barrier to entry for content creation, the value of "knowing things" is plummeting. The new premium? Skill Validation. Frank shares his deep expertise in "Challenge-Centric Learning" and explains why virtual labs are the only way to bridge the systemic lag between rapid AI adoption and workforce competence.

What we unpack in this episode:

• The "Goldilocks" Learning Moment: Why 2026 is the year experiential learning finally hits its renaissance.
• Safe Failure: The importance of creating "low-stakes" environments where employees can break things, learn from the fallout, and build the "grit" required for modern tech roles.
• Beyond the Badge: Moving from participation-based certificates to data-driven performance metrics.
• The Role of AI in Labs: How AI is helping lab developers create more complex, real-world scenarios for learners to solve.

"AI can answer a multiple-choice test, but it can't replicate hands-on experience."

About our Guest: Frank Gartland is a pioneer in hands-on learning and skill validation. At Skillable, he oversees the transformation of traditional training into performance-based experiences, helping global organizations build "AI-Ready" workforces that can actually deliver results.

I'm Idris Fabiyi, Head of Technology and Innovation at BPP University, Estio Training, Firebrand Training & host of the TechSphere podcast. I'm on a mission to demystify complex technology and make it accessible for businesses and learners.

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Get in Touch: idrisfabiyi@bpp.com