Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Jeremy Smith, workforce development innovator and college reform advocate.

Jeremy says the debate about college shouldn't be whether it's good or bad, but whether it's delivering the right education to the right students at the right time and price.

He argues that higher education is increasingly out of sync with employers, leaving many graduates with degrees but without the skills companies are hiring for.

Jeremy says agility will define successful colleges in the AI era, and institutions must adapt their programs as quickly as the workforce changes.

He believes liberal arts education is critically important, but it should be viewed as a lifelong pursuit rather than something condensed into four years between ages 18 and 22.

Jeremy says the value of the humanities isn't measured by job preparation alone but by helping people become thoughtful, informed citizens.

He argues that students should carefully weigh the return on investment of a degree and avoid taking on excessive debt for programs that don't provide a clear financial pathway.

Jeremy says employers are the ultimate customers of workforce education because they determine whether graduates have the skills needed to succeed in today's economy.

He encourages schools to strengthen the connection between K-12, higher education, and industry so students develop both durable skills and meaningful career opportunities.

Jeremy explains that his popular "WTF Wednesday" LinkedIn series uses real college courses to challenge assumptions about higher education and spark conversations about affordability and educational priorities.

His final message: education should prepare people for productive careers while also developing them into lifelong learners and engaged citizens—but those two goals don't have to be achieved through the same model.

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