Send us a text Brandon Busteed is the CEO of Edconic and a nationally recognized leader in work-integrated learning. Formerly President of Kaplan University Partners and Head of Education & Workforce Development at Gallup, he has spent his career building bridges between higher education and industry through research, innovation, and large-scale partnerships. 💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why work-integrated learning matters Why employers say grads aren’t work-ready Why internships don’t scale How colleges can merge liberal arts with career prep How AI bridges academic and job skills ✨ Episode Highlights [00:00:00] The power of work-integrated learning for long-term outcomes [00:02:49] How the education–workforce gap emerged [00:05:54] Why so few students get quality applied learning experiences [00:07:28] Debunking the liberal-arts vs. careerism divide [00:13:51] The internship shortage and rise of “derivative internships” [00:18:56] Edtech’s role in expanding work-based learning [00:20:53] How virtual and industry immersion programs reshape higher ed [00:24:44] Employers’ low confidence in graduate readiness [00:26:17] Faculty externships as a bridge between academia and industry [00:30:01] Co-designed learning between teachers and industry experts [00:33:24] AI as a translator between academic and career skills [00:42:12] Saxbys’ model of student-run campus businesses [00:46:07] Expanding student awareness of career paths beyond the “top 10” 😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here . 🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s: Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead. This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP . Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education. Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com. As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com .
