Talent Talks- With Rick Maher

In this 29-minute episode, host Rick Maher is joined by Alex Forrester, Co-founder and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer of Rising Tide Capital, as well as Alfa Demmellash, CEO and Co-founder of Rising Tide, as they discuss the support that they offer entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities to help them grow their businesses. Alex and Alfa reveal their holistic approach to supporting entrepreneurs, their vision for future partnerships with the workforce development system, and the efforts they are making to expand their model to other communities.

In this 30 minute episode, host Rick Maher is joined by Shannon Block, Executive Director of Skillful Colorado, as she discusses how Skillful is developing skills-based training and employment practices to help the majority of Americans get good jobs in a rapidly changing economy. Discover the innovative tools that Skillful is using, including the Skillful Job Posting Generator, which allow employers to attract the talent they need to grow their business by using skills-based hiring practices.

In this 25-minute episode (the second in a 2-part series), host Rick Maher is joined by "innovators in action" -- Judy Emery from the Colorado Urban Workforce Alliance, Bruce Ferguson from CareerSource Northeast Florida, and Jacob Maas of West Michigan Works. Each guest shares sector-based strategies and reflects on their real-world experiences in engaging with employers and delivering meaningful results for those they serve. They also share advice for those who are just getting started and need to begin engaging with employers.

In this 30-minute podcast episode (the first in a 2-part series), host Rick Maher is joined by three "innovators in action" -- Judy Emery from the Colorado Urban Workforce Alliance, Bruce Ferguson from CareerSource Northeast Florida, and Jacob Maas of West Michigan Works. Discover how each guest took a different but effective path to working in regional partnerships.

In this 35-minutes episode, host Rick Maher is joined by Stuart Andreason, Director of the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Stuart explains the role of the Federal Reserve in the workforce development system, and how data drives that work. Discover the re-skilling that needs to happen in order to keep up with technological advances, and how the system can become both bigger and more nimble. Stuart also shares insights about how "braiding" funds and leveraging private sector investments can help scale efforts, even in a time of declining budgets.

In this 30-minute episode, host Rick Maher is joined by Dr. Ken Ender, President of William Rainey Harper College and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Chicago/Cook Workforce Development Board. Dr. Ender explains how the "Carnegie Unit" became the standard for packaging and delivering learning, and how that model can now be a barrier for the educational needs of the 21st century. Discover the disruption that is occurring in the education industry and what workforce is asking of the educational system. Dr. Ender also shares the importance of public-private partnerships and the key features of a disruptive public education system of the future.

In this 30-minute episode, host Rick Maher is joined by Emily Stover-DeRocco, CEO/Principal at E3 consulting, who shares her thoughts on trends that are impacting the workforce and education systems, and the need for all systems to become nimbler and more responsive. Emily shares insights on what a future workforce might look like, and some of the key features that the next generation of workforce participants are looking for in a job or career. She also reveals some of the changes that will be necessary in the educational system to keep up with disruption.

In this 35-minute episode, host Rick Maher is joined by Dr. James Applegate from the Office of the President at the Center for Educational Policy at Illinois State University. Dr. Applegate discusses the coming "Fourth Industrial Revolution" that will have the capacity to disrupt the job market with tech innovations like AI, machine learning and 3D printing – potentially causing by 2030, nearly 350 million workers globally to need "re-skilling" to stay employable. Dr. Applegate reveals how such a future could shape our educational system. He also shares insights about U.S. immigration policy and its impact on the higher educational system, as well as the shifting market for higher education. Discover how to move past the false dichotomy between choosing skills-based learning or higher education, and the systemic change that is needed to stay competitive.