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 partnerships

This 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 education
• How we solve the problem of 8 in 10 students wanting access to career-connected learning, but only 3 in 10 having it
• The $34 billion annual wage impact advanced manufacturing could create for rural Americans, and what must happen to realize it
• Why employers should think about school districts like they do about their suppliers
• What success could look like in 2035 if schools and industry build long-term, evidence-based partnerships that sustain economic mobility

3 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

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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/WanekCenter

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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 industries
• How chemistry and materials science drive innovation in everyday products
• What a utility patent in fashion reveals about unconventional STEM applications
• Why budding entrepreneurs should leverage subject-matter experts from a range of fields to solve complex challenges
• Why purpose-driven entrepreneurship matters for the next generation of innovators

3 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.com

Other:

• Michael's Tedx Talk on YouTube: "Theories on Breast Cancer"
• Breast Cancer Prevention Partners

Books:

• Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras
• The Gene: An Intimate History

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