Today, organisations are confronting a reality where skills expire faster than they are acquired, and traditional education systems alone can no longer prepare the workforce for constant disruption. The question for leaders is no longer whether to invest in learning, but how to build lifelong learning at scale.

In this episode of People Matters Unplugged, Cheshta Dora is joined by Shana Kruse, VP – HR, Starbucks Asia Pacific. Leading people strategy across one of the most dynamic regions in the world, Shana is embedding learning into the very fabric of the Starbucks Partner Promise — from frontline baristas to regional leaders. Together, they explore what it takes to democratise access to education, design micro and cohort-based learning experiences, and create cultures of belonging that fuel continuous growth. This conversation unpacks how organisations can move beyond episodic training to build scalable, purpose-driven learning ecosystems that prepare people, and communities, for the future.