What if the “Black Mirror” version of the future is wrong? In this episode, Mike Palmer talks with Chris Bradley, Senior Partner at McKinsey and Director of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), about his new book, A Century of Plenty: A Story of Progress for Generations to Come.
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Host Mike Palmer is joined by Steven Puri, founder and CEO of The Sukha Company. Before building tools for deep work, Puri was a senior executive at major motion picture studios, overseeing production on blockbusters like Independence Day and Braveheart, and managing franchises like Die Hard and Wolverine. He shares how the same rigorous focus required to produce massive films can be applied to modern productivity through the concept of Flow—a state popularized by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
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Paul Fain, the founder of Work Shift and author of The Job newsletter, returns to Trending in Education for a look at the state of workforce development in 2026. He describes a challenging environment for early-career professionals where emerging technologies are driving significant shifts in hiring and job stability. While four-year degree holders often dominate the media discourse, Paul emphasizes the critical need to report on non-degree workers, particularly those in clerical and administrative roles who face high risks from automation.
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How do we prepare Gen Z for a workforce being reshaped by Artificial Intelligence? Recorded live from the National Youth Apprenticeship Summit in Alexandria, Virginia, this episode explores the “Wild West” of the modern innovation economy and the vital role of youth apprenticeships in building future-ready career pathways.
Host Mike Palmer is joined by three experts to discuss the intersection of emerging technology, educational equity, and early career development.
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Matt Dalio, founder and CEO of Endless Studios, joins host Mike Palmer to explore the profound connection between games, technology, and workforce development. Matt, who grew up with an early global perspective—including a transformative year in China at age 11—brings his philanthropic drive to the world of scalable tech solutions .
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On this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer sits down with Scott Cheney, CEO of Credential Engine, to discuss the evolving landscape of credentials and their vital role in shaping our future workforce. They delve into the complexities of a skills-based economy, the challenges of translating diverse experiences into recognized credentials, and the crucial need for transparency and common standards in education and employment data.
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In this enlightening episode of Trending in Ed, host Mike Palmer engages in a dynamic conversation with Edson Barton, co-founder and CEO of YouScience, diving deep into the transformative power of career education and aptitude assessment. Edson shares his own compelling origin story, reflecting on how his early struggles in school ignited a passion for revolutionizing the way we approach education and career guidance.
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In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer sits down with Josh Wright, Executive Vice President of Growth, Education and Government for Lightcast, to discuss the future of work and workforce demographic shifts. We dive deep into Lightcast’s report “The Rising Storm: Building a Future Ready Workforce to Withstand the Looming Labor Shortage.” Josh shares insights on the demographic drought facing the workforce, including accelerated baby boomer retirements, declining birth rates, and decreasing labor force participation.
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In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer welcomes back Jane Oates, senior policy advisor at Working Nation, for her third (fridge-magnet-earning) appearance on the show. Jane and Mike dive deep into workforce development, education, and the role of technology in shaping the future of work. We discuss Working Nation’s “Breaking Barriers” series, the challenges of implementing new technologies in education and workforce development, and strategies for encouraging employee upskilling and AI literacy.
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In this engaging episode, Mike Palmer sits down with Matt Wilkerson, the founder and CEO of Extern, to discuss his innovative approach to bridging the gap between education and the workforce. Wilkerson shares his fascinating journey, from his early career aspirations to the pivotal experiences that inspired him to create Extern, a platform that offers remote “Externships” – short-term, structured work experiences designed to equip students with real-world skills and hands-on experience.
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In this episode, host Michael Palmer welcomes back Dr. Bror Saxberg, Founder of LearningForge, to continue their exploration of learning and its implications for the future. We dig into core concepts like working memory vs long-term memory, deliberate practice and the 10,000 hour rule, and what the latest research reveals about differences (and similarities) in learning rates. Dr. Saxberg emphasizes the brain’s lifelong neuroplasticity and potential for acquiring new skills and knowledge.
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