Speaking of the Economy

Sarah Gunn describes an online tool developed by the Federal Reserve to help students explore their post-high school career and education options and choose the path that is best for them. Gunn is district outreach manager for community development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_10_07_invest_in_whats_next

Andy Bauer and Renee Haltom share what they have learned through conversations with Fifth District businesses about consumer spending and how it has responded to cost increases and other economic headwinds. Bauer and Haltom are regional executives at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_09_23_the_creative_consumer

Andy Bauer and Renee Haltom share what they have learned through conversations with Fifth District businesses about consumer spending and how it has responded to cost increases and other economic headwinds. Bauer and Haltom are regional executives at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_09_16_creative_consumer

John Haltiwanger talks about his work with the U.S. Census Bureau to improve the tracking of AI usage by workers and their employers. Haltiwanger, a professor of economics at the University of Maryland, shared this research during the August 2026 CORE Week held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_09_09_measuring_ai_adoption

Katarína Borovičková and Claudia Macaluso discuss their research on the long-term unemployed, including the factors like AI adoption that could be affecting the movement of people into and out of this employment status and the broader economic implications of these labor market flows. Macaluso and Borovičková are senior economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_09_02_long-term_unemployment

Michael Newsome talks about what he has learned about apprenticeships from discussions with business and education leaders. As an illustration, Melissa Stowasser shares how Trident Technical College partnered with smaller employers to develop an apprenticeship program for the Charleston, S.C., region. Newsome is community development regional manager for workforce pathways in North Carolina and South Carolina at the Richmond Fed, while Stowasser is vice president for community and continuing education at Trident.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_08_19_apprenticeships

Erik Hurst discusses his research on the potential impacts of AI adoption on the labor market, in particular entry-level workers and their human capital development over time through the acquisition of new skills and knowledge. Hurst is the Roman Family Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and John E. Jeuck Faculty Fellow at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_08_12_AI_human_capital

Jay Langston discusses how rural communities in western Virginia have diversified the region from agriculture into pharmaceutical and other forms of manufacturing. Key ingredients of this economic progress include developing the local workforce, building relationships between local and state economic development organizations, and addressing quality-of-life issues. Langston is executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_08_05_shenandoah_valley

Daniel Davis talks about the barriers that rural communities face in fully realizing their economic potential and how economic development professionals have addressed those barriers. He also shares insights on this topic from the speakers at an Investing in Rural America webinar in June 2026. Davis is group vice president for regional economics at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_07_15_rural_econ_dev

John Bailey Jones and Jason Kosakow discuss their research on how family members and friends give their time and money to help each other and how these transfers benefit households. Jones is vice president of microeconomic analysis and Kosakow is survey director, both at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_07_08_helping_hands