Apple CEO Tim Cook says “education is a great equalizer of people”

In a brief interview with YouTuber Brian Tong at the FIRST Inspire 2022 Gala, Apple CEO Tim Cook talked about the importance of education as a “great equalizer”, the role of education in his personal and professional journey, and the lessons he learned from Steve Jobs.

FIRST Inspire is an organization that runs a robotics program for young people from around the globe to explore science and technology and become tomorrow’s leaders in innovation. Participants get engaged in exciting mentor-based programs that “build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.”

Since 2015, Apple has been supporting FIRST to expand STEM education worldwide. As the guest of honor at the sixth-annual FIRST Inspire Gala 2022, Tim Cook interacted with the young engineers and talked about their projects.

Speaking at FIRST Inspire Gala 2022, Tim Cook said equity and justice fuel Apple to do work in education

Currently, Apple is part of multiple educational projects focusing on STEAM, an educational program in the United States that promotes learning of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics in learners as young as pre-schoolers in fun and engaging ways.

When asked how education impacted his journey in reaching the position of Apple CEO, Cook said that he was a product of public education and education was “everything” for him as it was the foundation that allowed him to do everything afterward including his current job.

He expressed gratitude for having parents who put emphasis on education and motivational teachers who pushed him to reach his full potential, academically.

Education is so important. It’s the great equalizer of people, you know its the thing that gives everybody an equal chance and to take part in this tonight and over the eight years or so that we’ve been associated with its makes my hear sing.”

Explaining Apple’s role in the promotion of education, Cook said that the company was about equal access, and works very hard to make its technology accessible to everyone so it launch programs like Swift, Community Education Initiative, and Racial Equity and Justice Initiative. And it participates in programs like FIRST Inspire to reach kids who might not be reached otherwise.

He shared that Steve Jobs taught him the most important life-changing lesson was the “joy in the journey”. He used to be perplexed about the next big thing and put off happiness until the next thing happened which never did. Now, when he talks with kids and aspiring adults he shares the same lesson with them as it leads to “a lot happier life”.

Tim Cook added that the second lesson was to “find something you are passionate about and put all of yourself into it. And it was great to be part of something which invokes passion for robotics, coding, creative thinking, and other life-changing skills.”

In the end, Cook mentioned that he stays calm in the face of pressure and criticism because he does not think about “living in the aquarium”, he compartmentalizes things. He said he loves the people he works with and they are some of the smartest people in the world who are always trying to make each other better and do great work.

Speaking at FIRST Inspire Gala 2022, Tim Cook said equity and justice fuel Apple to do work in education

Rida Imran