Shows
The TechEd PodcastInterior Secretary Doug Burgum on Energy Dominance, Critical Minerals, and Intelligence FactoriesThe U.S. Department of the Interior manages the nation’s most consequential assets—public lands and waters, energy resources, and critical minerals—making it a crucial center for AI capabilities, national security, and workforce opportunity.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner sits down with Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, to connect the dots between Interior's responsibilities and the next generation of innovation in the U.S. Today, Interior manages 500 million acres of public land, plus subsurface and undersea resources, territories, and the nation’s historic sites, n...
2026-02-0351 minThe TechEd PodcastCultural Mapping: How to Build Trust and Influence In Your Organization - Dr. Ben Johnson and Bobby DoddMost leaders have a vision, a plan, and the authority to move it forward, but real momentum shows up when you understand how culture is being shaped through trust and influence behind the scenes.Host Matt Kirchner sits down with Dr. Ben Johnson, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools at Bismarck Public Schools, and Bobby Dodd, Assistant Principal at May River High School, co-authors of Intentional Influence. They break down how influence really spreads inside an organization, in schools, in business, and in industry, and why the people with the most impact are often not the ones with...
2026-01-2748 minThe TechEd PodcastReframing Higher Education: A Connected Model for Colleges and Universities - Dr. Katherine Frank & Dr. Sunem Beaton-GarciaHigher education is shifting toward a connected model where colleges and universities function as one learner ecosystem. The goal is simple: make credentials stackable, transfer predictable, and pathways flexible enough for learners to move in and out of education as their careers evolve.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Matt Kirchner speaks with Dr. Katherine Frank (Chancellor, University of Wisconsin–Stout) and Dr. Sunem Beaton-Garcia (President, Chippewa Valley Technical College) about how their institutions have developed streamlined pathways for learners that support lifelong learning.They break down how institutions can design on-ramps and off-ramps, al...
2026-01-2054 minThe TechEd PodcastHow Amazon Trains the Techs that Keep their Automated Facilities Running - Amanda Willard & Logan Schulz, Amazon RMEWhat actually happens inside those massive Amazon facilities—and how do products arrive at your door with such astonishing speed?In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner explores these questions with Amanda Willard, Strategic Workforce Development, and Logan Schulz, Senior Manager of Reliability & Maintenance Engineering at Amazon. They take us behind the scenes of the advanced robotics, mechatronics, and automation systems that power Amazon’s fulfillment network—and the skilled technicians who keep the entire operation running.Amanda and Logan share how the Reliability & Maintenance Engineering (RME) team prepares the workfo...
2026-01-1348 minThe TechEd PodcastThe Rise of State-Backed VC: Michigan’s Bet on Emerging Entrepreneurs - Pete Martin, MSU Research Foundation and Alison Todak, MEDCWith states stepping directly into the venture capital arena, a major shift is underway in how early-stage companies are funded—and where the next generation of innovation will be built.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner dives into this emerging movement with Pete Martin, Director of Portfolio Management at the MSU Research Foundation, and Alison Todak, Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Together, they unpack why states like Michigan are deploying public capital into startups, how PitchMI became one of the largest pitch competitions in the country, and wh...
2026-01-0647 minThe TechEd Podcast13 Predictions for Technical Education in 2026With the pace of change in technology, geopolitics, infrastructure, and the economy, what should technical educators and workforce leaders be watching most closely in 2026?In this year’s annual Predictions episode, host Matt Kirchner shares the fifth edition of a listener-favorite tradition, scoring last year's predictions and looking ahead to the trends and technologies that will shape Tech Ed in 2026.What's in store for 2026? Energy, defense, materials, biomimicry, AI, smart tech, humanoids, design...and the future of technical education. Listen to the whole episode to hear about these and more!Full sh...
2025-12-301h 13The TechEd PodcastAsk Us Anything: Workforce ROI, AI Hallucinations, and the 5 Pillars of World-Class CTEWatch the episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/f5gWUVQI0jIMelissa Martin and Matt Kirchner are back to answer your questions, covering everything from university curriculum design, to AI in the classroom, to what employers actually expect when they invest in education.This one moves fast, but it’s focused: how do you build programs that truly prepare students for modern work? How do you keep education from falling behind as technology accelerates? Along the way, Matt and Melissa break down what universities need to change, how to raise the bar in the age of...
2025-12-2346 minThe TechEd PodcastAt the Reagan Ranch: The Life & Legacy of One of America's Greatest Presidents - Scott Walker, President of Young America's FoundationThe clearest way to understand Ronald Reagan’s leadership may not be from a podium, but from a saddle, a woodpile, and a quiet table where he worked through the ideas that shaped an era.In this on-location episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner sits down with former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker inside the Reagan Ranch Center, recorded at the same table and microphones Reagan used for his radio addresses. The conversation moves beyond “Reagan the icon” and into Reagan at Rancho del Cielo, the place Ed Meese famously pointed to as the best window into R...
2025-12-161h 00The TechEd PodcastUsing Values and Customer Experience to Guide an AI and Data-Driven Strategy - Irv and Ryan Blumkin, Chairman and EVP of Nebraska Furniture MartIn this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner sits down with Irv Blumkin, Chairman of Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM), and Ryan Blumkin, Executive Vice President, to unpack nearly 90 years of retail innovation, from Mrs. B’s pawn-shop beginnings to multi-acre campuses in Omaha, Kansas City, Dallas, and soon Austin. They explore what it’s like to partner with Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway, build massive destination developments, and still obsess over every single SKU and customer interaction. From dynamic pricing and AI-enabled operations to a mind-blowing learning trip through China’s retail and technology ecosystem, Irv and...
2025-12-0954 minThe TechEd PodcastSix Days in China: The Speed, Scale and Strategy Outpacing U.S. Innovation - Todd Wanek, CEO of Ashley FurnitureWhat if you could get a behind the scenes look at China's most innovative tech companies, factories and logistics hubs—seeing how they really run and asking the questions most Americans never get to ask?This week, you do. Matt Kirchner and Todd Wanek, CEO of Ashley Furniture, sit down to debrief the trip they took together to China. In a candid, off-the-cuff conversation, they trade questions and challenge each other’s assumptions as they compare what they saw there with what’s happening in U.S. business, policy, and education.After six days of nonsto...
2025-12-021h 01The TechEd PodcastApplied AI on the Edge Proves There’s More to AI Than ChatGPT - Brian Cavanaugh, CEO of VigilanteXWith artificial intelligence stepping off the laptop and out onto job sites, factory floors, and flight decks, are we preparing students for the AI that sees, senses, and acts in the real world, not just the kind that chats back?Matt Kirchner sits down with Lieutenant General Brian Cavanaugh, USMC (Ret.), CEO of VigilanteX. After decades commanding Marines and integrating emerging tech into national defense, Cavanaugh now leads a company building applied AI platforms at the edge: solar- and Starlink-powered trailers with cameras and compute that monitor sites 24/7 and turn video into real-time safety, security and efficiency...
2025-11-2546 minThe TechEd PodcastWhat Is Your Region's Economic DNA? Lessons for CTE from an Aviation High School - Adam Snoddy, Principal of Butler Tech Aviation CenterHow can CTE listen to regional economic and workforce needs and build a vision so big that others can't help but support it?Watch this episode on YouTube Matt Kirchner sits down with Adam Snoddy, Principal of the Butler Tech Aviation Center, to explore how one district used its regional economic identity to design a world-class CTE program. Located between Cincinnati and Dayton—home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Amazon’s CVG air hub, a web of regional airports, and one of the densest aviation job markets in North America—Butler Tech built a high...
2025-11-1855 minThe TechEd PodcastTechnical Colleges: Breaking Generational Poverty and Building Economic Mobility - Dr. Anthony Cruz, President of MATCWith technical colleges serving as the front line for breaking generational poverty, one question rises to the surface: how do we design education that truly creates economic mobility?In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner digs into that question with Dr. Anthony Cruz, President of Milwaukee Area Technical College — the largest nonprofit technical college in the country and one of the most diverse institutions in the Midwest.Dr. Cruz brings a compelling mix of lived experience and visionary leadership: a first-generation college graduate whose parents worked in factories, no...
2025-11-1253 minThe TechEd PodcastMoving from “Just-in-Case” Education to a Demand-Driven, Industry-Led Model — Paul Lavoie, VP of the University of New HavenHigher education can’t keep teaching “just in case” knowledge. In an era where technology evolves faster than curriculum, universities must align directly with industry needs — and that’s exactly what Paul Lavoie is doing at the University of New Haven.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner sits down with Paul, the university’s Vice President of Innovation and Applied Technology and former Chief Manufacturing Officer for the State of Connecticut. Together, they explore what it means to build higher education that works like industry: agile, applied, and focused on real development rather than theory...
2025-11-0454 minThe TechEd PodcastHow to Get Started with AI in Your Business (Practical Tips & Real Technologies) - Part 2Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/UbNr7vF4CC8?si=VqX2owW86GNq7OdsWhat does it really take to get started with artificial intelligence in a small or mid-sized company right here in the U.S.?In Part 2 of this two-part series, Matt Kirchner continues breaking down A Manufacturer’s Guide to AI Tech — exploring the final 7 technologies reshaping how organizations operate, automate, and make decisions.From autonomous mobile robots and smart drones to AI-powered industrial robots, next-gen metrology, and smart materials, Matt explains how these tools are already being used...
2025-10-2847 minThe TechEd PodcastHow to Get Started with AI in Your Business (Practical Tips & Real Technologies) - Part 1What does it really take to get started with artificial intelligence in a small or mid-sized company right here in the U.S.?We're breaking it down in this two-part series.In part 1, Matt Kirchner shares lessons from his recent trip overseas and what he learned visiting 26 advanced tech companies in six days. From open-source innovation and mandatory AI education to the work ethic driving global competition, Matt explains why the time to act on AI is now, and how American business leaders can take practical steps to stay ahead.He connects global...
2025-10-2152 minThe TechEd PodcastThe $1 Trillion Workforce Opportunity for Rural Education - Duwain Pinder, Partner at McKinsey & CompanyRural America is on the brink of an economic transformation. With more than $1 trillion in advanced manufacturing investments (and nearly two-thirds of that flowing into rural regions) this moment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalize local economies, strengthen school-industry partnerships, and empower students with career pathways in advanced manufacturing.Matt Kirchner sits down with Duwain Pinder, Partner at McKinsey & Company and a leader of the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility to explore the institute’s new report: Manufacturing in rural America: A plan for K–12–industry partnershipsThis conversation examines the gap between the career-connected learni...
2025-10-1449 minThe TechEd PodcastA Vision Built on Alignment: Wanek Center of Innovation Reinvents the Path to Industry 4.0 CareersWhen the founder of the world’s largest furniture manufacturer partners with one of the nation’s most innovative technical colleges, you get one of the most unique learning centers in the world. This week, host Matt Kirchner is joined by the visionaries behind the landmark Wanek Center of Innovation at Western Technical College: Ron Wanek, Founder of Ashley Furniture Industries, Dr. Josh Gamer, Associate Vice President of Workforce Partnerships and Innovation, and Dr. Roger Stanford, President of Western Technical College.The conversation is a masterclass in industry partnerships, future-forward educational technology, and building a true pipeline from...
2025-10-071h 03
Fit Habit Life🎙️ Episode 059: From Rock Bottom to Financial Freedom with Matt DeHart🎙️ Episode 059: From Rock Bottom to Financial Freedom with Matt DeHartIn this episode, I sit down with my financial coach Matt DeHart to unpack his powerful story of struggle, growth, taking control of his financial health, and ultimately helping others do the same. Our conversation goes way beyond numbers in a bank account.We talk about:* Why financial health is foundational to overall well-being* The practical steps he uses with his clients to rebuild and create financial freedom* The common money mistakes high-achievers make (and how to fix t...
2025-10-0659 minThe TechEd PodcastFinding STEM (and Purpose) in Unexpected Places: Why Fashion Needs More Scientists – Michael Drescher, Vibrant Body CompanyWhen we think of STEM, we often picture engineers, chemists, or programmers. But what about someone who patents a piece of clothing, challenges the textile industry, and builds a company around purpose-driven innovation?In a very unique episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner sits down with Michael Drescher, Founder of Vibrant Body Company. Drescher’s career has spanned cable TV, logistics, and media before leading him to unexpected innovations in fabric science and apparel. His story shows how engineering, chemistry, and entrepreneurship intersect in surprising ways — and why educators should encourage students to look beyond conv...
2025-09-3046 minThe TechEd PodcastAsk Us Anything: Early Career Choices, the War for Talent and the Rise of AIYou asked...we answered!In this first-ever “Ask Us Anything” episode, producer Melissa Martin flips the script and poses your biggest questions to host Matt Kirchner. The result is a candid, wide-ranging conversation that covers career decisions, workforce challenges, and the future of artificial intelligence.From elementary classrooms to C-suite hiring struggles to the role of AI in disrupting education, this episode explores the most pressing questions in STEM and technical education today. Matt and Melissa share real-world stories, practical advice, and unfiltered takes that every educator, employer, and student will find valuable.
2025-09-2346 minThe TechEd PodcastHow Technical Colleges Are Redefining Learning for the Future of Work - Layla Merrifield, President of the WTCSHaven’t been to a technical college in the last 3 years? The transformation is striking, and it’s only a glimpse of the reinvention higher education faces in the next decade.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner talks with Layla Merrifield, President of the Wisconsin Technical College System, about why the future of higher education depends on bold innovation. Merrifield doesn’t mince words: credit loss should be a thing of the past, neurodivergent inclusion is an imperative, and U.S. colleges can no longer “rest on our laurels” as global competitio...
2025-09-1755 minThe TechEd PodcastApplied AI in K-12, Higher Ed and Industry - Live Panel from TitletownTechWhat happens when K-12, higher education, manufacturing, and a startup tech company sit around the same table to talk about AI? This episode brings that rare collaboration to life.Recorded live at TitletownTech—the venture studio founded by Microsoft and the Green Bay Packers—this panel features four leaders from distinctly different sectors, all navigating how AI is changing their world. From fault anomaly detection in industrial equipment to generative AI in K-12 classrooms, this episode is a crash course in what applied AI really looks like on the ground.Panelists include:Mi...
2025-09-0937 minThe TechEd PodcastCould We Really Make Anything, Anywhere, Anytime? - Dr. Charles Johnson-Bey, ERVA Co-Principal InvestigatorDistributed manufacturing allows goods to be produced closer to where they’re needed — but enabling that future requires a complete rethink of infrastructure, systems, and workforce development.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, Dr. Charles Johnson-Bey joins host Matt Kirchner for a deep dive into Engineering the Future of Distributed Manufacturing — the new national report from the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA). Charles, a former professor and recently retired Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton, brings decades of experience in defense, systems engineering, and academia to this conversation.Together, they break down ERVA’s five p...
2025-08-2656 minThe TechEd PodcastThe $10 Million Workforce Experiment That Could Redefine Apprenticeships in America - Lindsay Blumer, CEO of WRTP | BIG STEPWorkforce systems are often fragmented—built around short-term funding, disconnected programs, and a lack of coordination between industry, education, and community.But a different model is taking shape - one that’s not only working in practice, but has the potential to scale across states and regions. In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner sits down with Lindsay Blumer, President & CEO of WRTP | BIG STEP, to explore how her organization is building a future-ready, industry-led, and worker-centered workforce ecosystem.Backed by a $10 million grant, Lindsay and her team are launching the Apprenticeship Path...
2025-08-1948 minThe TechEd PodcastLove It or Hate It: A Surprisingly Human (And Very Fun) Conversation About Math - Dr. Jordan Ellenberg, Mathematics Professor at the University of WisconsinWhat 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 stories about The Housemartins, consulting on NUMB3RS (yes, one of his lines aired), and competing at the International Mathematical Olympiad. There’s a lot of laughter—and a fresh way to see math as culture, craft, and curiosity.But we also get practical about math education. We discuss the lo...
2025-08-121h 04The TechEd PodcastAI Can Close the Learning Gap in Underserved Classrooms. But We Have to Guide, Not Just Give - Sam Whitaker, Director of Social Impact at StudyFetchIn 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 Kirchner talks with Sam Whitaker, Director of Social Impact at StudyFetch, about how AI can support literacy, comprehension, and real learning outcomes when used with purpose. Sam shares his experience bringing AI education to a rural school in Uganda, where nearly every student had already used AI without formal guidance. The results...
2025-07-2948 minThe TechEd PodcastThe Rules for Earning College Credit Are Changing, and Competency (Not Time in Seats) Matters Most - Dr. Paul Carlsen, President of Lakeshore CollegeWith 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, President of Lakeshore College, about the different methods to rapidly upskill a technical workforce. Like Lakeshore's competency-based education (CBE) approach, which has now been adopted by half the college's programs and earned national attention and a White House conversation on scaling CBE.In addition to CBE, we discuss Ro...
2025-07-2248 min
Digical EducationLeaders, TechEd, AI, and Future of Learning: Conversation with Matt Kirchner"Leadership is about caring" is the starting point of this conversation with Matt Kirchner, as we discuss TechEd, Innovation in Education, and how AI might impact our work. Matt is the President of ATS, Lab Midwest, and Mission Learning Systems. He is also the host of the TechEd podcast.
2025-07-2229 minThe TechEd PodcastRethinking Risk: How Strategic Guardrails Can Actually Empower Innovation - Abim Kolawole, Chief Audit Executive at Northwestern MutualWhat 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 a strategic advantage. Abim shares his remarkable journey—from growing up in Nigeria and watching Wall Street as a kid, to becoming a lawyer at the SEC, to now leading audit at one of America’s most respected financial institutions.But this...
2025-07-1549 min