In this episode, former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift joins Jeff and Michael to explore how to rebuild the broken college-to-career pipeline. Now leading Education at Work, a nonprofit that provides work-based learning opportunities for undergraduates, Swift shares how her organization supports first-generation and Pell-eligible students with paid, career-relevant jobs during college. The conversation also dives into the policy vacuum left by congressional inaction, the role of states in driving innovation, and where bipartisan opportunities still exist in connecting higher education to the workforce. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Gates Foundation.

Publications Mentioned:

Handshake 2025 Annual Report

 

Chapters

0:00 - Intro

02:57 - Fixing the College to Career Pipeline

14:48 - Building Soft Skills

17:47 - The Higher Ed Policy Vacuum

24:28 - Federal Policy Enablers for Work-Based Learning

28:06 - State Governments to the Rescue?

30:46 - The Opportunity for Bipartisanship

 

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