The TechEd Podcast

• How to Get Started with AI in Your Business (Practical Tips & Real Technologies) - Part 1

  What 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 insights to the realities of U.S. manufacturing and education, explores what it means to see before others see in the age of AI, and outlines the first practical technologies every organization should understand, from AI agents and MCP servers to embedded smart technology and digital twins.In this episode:What China’s open-source approach to AI is teaching the world about speed and innovationWhy small and mid-sized U.S. businesses can’t afford to wait on AI adoptionThe two traits every leader needs to thrive in the AI era and how to apply them todayHow manufacturers are already using AI for predictive maintenance, analytics, and smart equipmentThe real-world technologies, like MCP servers, AI agents, and digital twins, that can start transforming your operations nowIncluding...the first 5 technologies from A Manufacturer’s Guide To AI Tech.FULL SHOW NOTES (plus links & resources): https://techedpodcast.com/appliedaiWant to see all the videos and data? Watch this episode on YouTube.We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

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• The $1 Trillion Workforce Opportunity for Rural Education - Duwain Pinder, Partner at McKinsey & Company

  Rural 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 learning students want access to, and the opportunities afforded them in rural districts. Matt and Duwain discuss how manufacturers and school districts can work together to close this gap and prepare the next generation for the influx of jobs coming to rural America.Listen to learn:Why 63% of $1 trillion in new U.S. manufacturing investment happening within 15 miles of rural communities means for K-12 educationHow we solve the problem of 8 in 10 students wanting access to career-connected learning, but only 3 in 10 having itThe $34 billion annual wage impact advanced manufacturing could create for rural Americans, and what must happen to realize itWhy employers should think about school districts like they do about their suppliersWhat success could look like in 2035 if schools and industry build long-term, evidence-based partnerships that sustain economic mobility3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. Rural America is the new frontier for advanced manufacturing. McKinsey’s analysis found that 63 % of $1 trillion in announced U.S. manufacturing investments are being built within 15 miles of rural communities. Pinder explains that these projects will define America’s manufacturing future and bring high-quality jobs to places that have long been left behind.2. The skills gap solution isn’t either-or...students need basic academic and technical skills. McKinsey’s research shows that foundational reading and math scores are eroding across the U.S., especially in rural communities, even as demand grows for advanced manufacturing talent. Duwain and Matt agree that employers shouldn’t accept this trade-off. Students must graduate ready to read, calculate, and communicate and understand robotics, PLCs, and other manufacturing tech, which requires schools and employers to work together on both fronts.3. Using existing successful models (not always reinventing the wheel) will help rural K-12 accelerate and scale career-connected learning. Nearly 8 in 10 rural students want apprenticeships and hands-on learning, yet only 3 in 10 can access them, a gap that represents a massive opportunity. Evidence-based models like youth apprenticeships, dual-enrollment, and early-college high schools already exist. If districts embrace these, plus partner with employers and workforce associations, they can create career-connected learning more quickly.Visit the show notes page for more We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

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• A Vision Built on Alignment: Wanek Center of Innovation Reinvents the Path to Industry 4.0 Careers

  When 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 K-12 education to technical colleges to a four-year degree.This episode is a must-listen for any educator, employer, or policymaker committed to a skills-based, adaptable future workforce.Listen to learn:Why the 50-year partnership between Ashley Furniture and WTC was the core ingredient for this innovation.How a manufacturing leader defines the handful of ways to build true wealth in the United States today.The Digital Twin technology that allows students to digitally perfect process changes before implementing them on physical robotic assets.Western’s new strategy to use a full-time position to bridge the operational gap between K-12 schools and local manufacturers.How the college is developing an enterprise AI strategy to use data from the center for operational efficiency and curriculum change.3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. U.S. education must refocus on technical skills to compete globally. Ron Wanek warns that the U.S. is falling behind countries like Germany and China because it has deprioritized technical education in favor of liberal arts. His partnership with Western is designed to reverse that trend through STEM and workforce training.2. The Wanek Center is a national model for Industry 4.0 integration in education. The facility includes 39 networked robots, a live IoT data infrastructure, and the first educational Digital Twin of its kind. The Digital Twin allows students to simulate manufacturing process changes in a virtual environment before applying them to the physical robotic cells. Students and employers alike now use the space to prototype real-world innovations.3. Western has built a full pipeline from middle school to a 4-year Automation Leadership degree. Through dual credit programs, high school students in the district now earn thousands of Western Technical College credits annually. A full-time K-12 liaison connects schools and employers, supporting everything from field trips to FIRST Robotics. Dr. Roger Stanford also signed 13 new transfer agreements with UW-Stout—including a direct 61-credit transfer into the new Automation Leadership bachelor’s degree, which stacks seamlessly from credentials like SACA into advanced career pathways.Resources in this Episode:Learn more about the Wanek Center of Innovation: westerntc.edu/WanekCenterWe want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

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• Finding STEM (and Purpose) in Unexpected Places: Why Fashion Needs More Scientists – Michael Drescher, Vibrant Body Company

  When 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 conventional STEM paths.From patents to cross-disciplinary collaboration, from science to social impact, Drescher offers a compelling case for why the next generation of innovators must combine technical skill with a sense of mission.Listen to learn:Why engineering careers often appear in unexpected industriesHow chemistry and materials science drive innovation in everyday productsWhat a utility patent in fashion reveals about unconventional STEM applicationsWhy budding entrepreneurs should leverage subject-matter experts from a range of fields to solve complex challengesWhy purpose-driven entrepreneurship matters for the next generation of innovators3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. Innovation often begins with a personal “why.” Drescher’s journey started after losing loved ones to breast cancer, whereafter he dove into the science of women's garments and became the "unexpected messenger" of the fashion industry's pitfalls. From polyurethane cups to restricting the lymphatic system to "if it's on you, it's in you," Drescher shares the unexpected science of textiles.2. There's a need for STEM professionals in industries most people overlook. Vibrant Body's approach to undergarment design and manufacturing is a lesson in applied STEM - from the biomedical science of the "electrical body" to the chemistry of textiles to the engineering of clothing design. It's a lesson for educators to broaden their students' understanding of potential career fields in STEM disciplines.3. Collaboration across disciplines drives real breakthroughs. The Vibrant team combined expertise from molecular biology, technical bra design, German manufacturing, and Italian fabric engineering to create a product that earned a rare utility patent. Drescher emphasized that innovation is “breadcrumbing” - each expert leads to the next - a lesson educators can pass on to students tackling complex problems.Resources in this Episode:Vibrant Body: vibrantbodycompany.comOther:Michael's Tedx Talk on YouTube: "Theories on Breast Cancer"Breast Cancer Prevention PartnersBooks:Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and BrasThe Gene: An Intimate HistoryWe want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

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• Ask Us Anything: Early Career Choices, the War for Talent and the Rise of AI

  You 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.Listen to learn:Why career interests start forming as early as elementary school, and what kind of exposure matters mostHow young people can sort through post-secondary options without feeling trapped by a single choiceThe interview strategies that stand out to CEOs after thousands of candidate meetingsWhat manufacturers are getting right (and wrong) in the race to attract new talentHow AI is reshaping education, and why human relationships matter more than ever in the age of disruption3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. Early exposure changes student trajectories. Students begin shaping career perceptions as early as elementary school; use age-appropriate experiences to put advanced manufacturing and STEM on the radar. Matt traces his own path back to a fifth-grade plant tour - watching a vibratory deburring bowl - showing how simple, vivid experiences stick for years. 2. Talent pipelines are a long game. Employers that show up consistently, serve on advisory boards, visit classes often, bring students on site, even offer “pizza Tuesdays”, win attention and hires. Culture and first impressions matter on tours: clean, organized facilities and engaged employees signal a place students want to join, now and later. 3. AI elevates personalization and demands new pedagogy. Shift essay-style tasks toward live, in-class dialogue and reflection to reduce easy generative-AI shortcuts and increase real learning. Use data-informed, asynchronous pathways so learners who need time can take it, and those ready to advance aren’t held back.Submit your own question for a future edition of Ask Us Anything on our website! https://techedpodcast.com/askusanything/We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

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