Episode 15 | Aug 26, 2025 – Building a Smarter Workforce, From Classrooms to Code

This conversation explores the evolving landscape of education and the necessity of lifelong learning in the context of rapid technological advancements and changing workforce demands. Co-hosts Billy Riggs and Vipul Vyas discuss the importance of aligning educational outcomes with industry needs, the potential for decentralization in the workforce, and the challenges faced by existing educational institutions in adapting to these changes. They emphasize the urgency of addressing these issues to maintain global competitiveness and the role of micro-credentials in modern education.

Takeaways

• Lifelong learning is essential for career success.
• The future of work requires alignment between education and industry needs.
• Micro-credentials may provide a solution to outdated educational models.
• Decentralization could democratize access to education and job opportunities.
• Existing institutions may struggle to innovate due to their established structures.
• Global competition necessitates a focus on upskilling the workforce.
• AI has the potential to change the landscape of job creation.
• Education must adapt quickly to keep pace with technological advancements.
• The cost of education is becoming a barrier for many Americans.
• There is a risk of falling behind in global innovation if changes are not made.

Sound Bites

• "Upskilling our workforce will define American competitiveness on the global level.” — Billy Riggs
• “Bootcamps used to be for coders. Now they’re for prompt engineers.” — Vipul Vyas 
• “AI could democratize the means of production—or accelerate inequality. It depends on how we use it.” — Vipul Vyas 
• “We’re training people for yesterday’s jobs while industries are moving ahead three steps faster.” — Billy Riggs 
• “Unless we invest in education and training, we risk falling behind not just in AI but across the global economy.” — Billy Riggs

Chapters

00:00 - Building a Smarter Workforce

06:51 - The Future of Work and Lifelong Learning

13:39 - Aligning Education with Industry Needs

17:04 - Global Workforce Dynamics and Competition

20:43 - The Urgency for Educational Reform

22:39 - The Importance of Lifelong Learning

25:13 - Aligning Education with Workforce Needs

26:17 - The Future of Learning and Adaptation

Additional Resources
Gauntlet AI Bootcamp: https://www.gauntletai.com/  

NYTimes Goodbye, $165,000 Tech Jobs. Student Coders Seek Work at Chipotle: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/technology/coding-ai-jobs-students.html