The TechEd Podcast
Bridging the gap between technical education & the workforce 🎙 Hosted by Matt Kirchner, each episode features conversations with leaders who are shaping, innovating and disrupting the future of the skilled workforce and how we inspire and train individuals toward those jobs. STEM, Career and Technical Education, and Engineering educators - this podcast is for you! Manufacturing and industrial employers - this podcast is for you, too!
Show episodes
Love It or Hate It: A Surprisingly Human (And Very Fun) Conversation About Math - Dr. Jordan Ellenberg, Mathematics Professor at the University of Wisconsin
What happens when a world-class mathematician meets ’80s college radio, Bill Gates’ top-10 favorite books, and a host with an algebra redemption arc? A surprisingly funny, fast-moving conversation. Dr. Jordan Ellenberg—John D. MacArthur Professor of Mathematics at UW–Madison and author of How Not to Be Wrong—swaps stor
The Smart Farm Era Is Here—and It’s Changing How America Grows Food - Dick Pavelski and Andy Diercks, Food + Farm Exploration Center
If you still picture farming as dusty tractors and endless manual labor, think again. Today’s agriculture runs on GPS-guided equipment, drones, real-time soil sensors, and data systems that look more like Wall Street trading floors than old barns. In this episode, lifelong farmer and innovator Dick Pavelski and Andy Di
AI Can Close the Learning Gap in Underserved Classrooms. But We Have to Guide, Not Just Give - Sam Whitaker, Director of Social Impact at StudyFetch
In schools with limited resources, large class sizes, and wide differences in student ability, individualized learning has become a necessity. Artificial intelligence offers powerful tools to help meet those needs, especially in underserved communities. But the way we introduce those tools matters. This week, Matt Kirc
The Rules for Earning College Credit Are Changing, and Competency (Not Time in Seats) Matters Most - Dr. Paul Carlsen, President of Lakeshore College
With technical education under pressure to deliver skilled talent faster, Lakeshore College is flipping the model—measuring learning by competency, meeting students where they are (even in high school), and using grants + national advocacy to scale the impact. This week, Matt Kirchner talks with Dr. Paul Carlsen, Presi
Rethinking Risk: How Strategic Guardrails Can Actually Empower Innovation - Abim Kolawole, Chief Audit Executive at Northwestern Mutual
What if audit wasn’t just a watchdog—but a catalyst for innovation, trust, and long-term growth? And what can education learn from it? In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Matt Kirchner sits down with Abim Kolawole, Chief Audit Executive at Northwestern Mutual, to explore how risk management, when done right, becomes
They Haven't Graduated Yet, but They're Already Tackling the Big Problems of 2045 - Duncan Kane, SVP at Toshiba
In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Duncan Kane, Senior Vice President at Toshiba America, shares insights from nearly two decades of working at the intersection of industry and education. Drawing from his leadership in STEM outreach, Duncan explains why Toshiba sees early STEM engagement not just as a good cause—bu
