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Proven outcomes in higher education, from the people who achieved them.

Signals in Higher Ed, hosted by Darin Francis, is a podcast focused on practical outcomes in education, featuring practitioners and administrators who share what has actually worked in their institutions. The channel gives a platform to trusted voices in higher education to discuss policy, technology adoption, and student success strategies. It serves edtech buyers, institutional leaders, and faculty looking for vetted solutions to common challenges.

35 episodes
Channel Brief·signals in higher ed · 35 episodes
Updated Aug 7, 2026

Higher ed must embed work into the curriculum itself

This channel argues that experiential learning and employer alignment are no longer optional. It grounds that claim in labor market data, institutional case studies, and the structural mismatch between graduate readiness and employer demand.

The channel's core argument is that higher education's traditional classroom-first model is obsolete. Institutions that fail to systematically integrate work-based learning, employer partnerships, and skills-based assessment into core curricula will lose students, credibility, and market relevance. This is supported throughout by institutional case studies, labor market pressures, and repeated claims from employers that graduates lack job-ready skills despite technical capability.

Drawn from Work Generated Learning with Andrew Salmon of … and 4 more →

“More than half of graduates are underemployed after finishing their degrees.”

Episode 9: Signals in Higher Ed Experiential Learning Founders Roundtable

By the numbers

59 out of 100

workers globally requiring reskilling by 2030 per WEF

4.7 million

jobs projected to be created 2022-2032 per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

11%

annual growth rate of continuing education, vs. declining undergraduate enrollment

40-50%

dropout rate in U.S. engineering programs, higher at regional universities

What the channel argues

DataEngineering programs see dropout rates as high as 40-50%, signaling structural design failures.→
InsightInternship-to-full-time conversion rates are at their highest in years, proving hands-on experience is critical.→
DataNACE Job Outlook 2026 reports employers require students to demonstrate concrete skills examples during hiring.→
DataContinuing education is expanding at 11% annually while undergraduate enrollment declines, creating opportunity.→
InsightUniversity of Minnesota systematically evaluates market opportunity and enrollment scenarios before funding online programs.→

What you'll learn

•Work-generated learning models treat the workplace itself as curriculum, not as a destination after graduation.
•Institutions must redesign experiential learning for equity, not just access—most traditional internship models exclude low-income and geographically constrained students.
•Employer alignment at scale requires institution-wide strategy, not siloed career services; regional public universities are treating it as central to persistence and retention.
•Apprenticeship and earn-while-you-learn models are reshaping the value proposition of credentials as confidence in four-year degrees declines.
•Competency and skills-based assessment must replace or supplement credit-hours to prove real mastery in an AI-shaped workforce.

What to do about it

→Audit your curriculum to identify where real employer projects, live problems, or paid work can replace or supplement traditional assignments and exams.
→Build formal employer partnerships that co-design learning outcomes and assessments, not advisory boards that meet annually.
→Design career-connected pathways that do not require students to relocate, pause studies, or sacrifice other commitments—integrate experiential learning into the core academic term.

Who and what shows up

Andrew Salmon

Cofounder, Intangled Learning

Pioneered work-generated learning model where organizational practices serve as curriculum, not faculty-designed syllabi.

Fritz Andover

Director of Online Program Support Services, University of Minnesota

Leads systematic process for evaluating market opportunity and enrollment scenarios before institutions fund online programs.

Kristen Fox

CEO, Business-Higher Education Forum

Discusses employer-university alignment and NACE research showing students who complete internships receive significantly more job offers and higher starting salaries.

Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF)

Organization

Referenced for research on work-based learning outcomes and employer expectations for graduate readiness.

National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)

Organization

Provides Job Outlook 2026 research stating employers require concrete skill demonstrations and that work-based learning correlates with better job offers and salaries.

Questions this channel answers

Q

What do employers actually expect from college graduates?

Employers want graduates who can navigate ambiguity, communicate across teams, and contribute meaningfully from day one. They report that while students are technically capable, many struggle to apply knowledge to complex real-world challenges and lack durable skills like judgment, communication, and adaptability.

Scaling Experiential Learning in the Curriculum: How Iro… →
Q

Why is traditional higher education losing credibility with students and families?

Public confidence in the ROI of a four-year degree has declined significantly. Students face rising costs, many graduate without clear career pathways, and internship pipelines are shrinking even as employers prioritize prior experience, creating a structural mismatch.

Higher Ed Must Build a Talent Supply Chain to Fix Workfo… →
Q

How can institutions scale experiential learning without excluding low-income students?

Universities like UVA are integrating experiential learning into core academic curricula rather than relying on external placements that require relocation or pause on studies. This approach addresses the reality that many students balance work, family, athletics, or financial constraints.

Flood the Zone: University of Virginia’s New Strategy to… →
Q

Are apprenticeships and earn-while-you-learn models viable alternatives to traditional degrees?

Yes, especially in healthcare, skilled trades, and technology. These models address gaps in affordability, time-to-competency, and alignment with real employer needs. Workforce Pell and policy shifts are creating momentum, though scale remains constrained.

Career-Connected Health Care: Why the Apprenticeship Deg… →
Q

What role should career coaching and advising play in higher ed?

Structured career coaching and work-based learning guidance are emerging as critical strategies to bridge education-to-employment gaps, particularly for underserved students. Research shows students who engage in paid internships and structured work-based learning secure employment faster and earn higher starting wages.

Closing the Education-to-Employment Gap: The Rise of the… →
Topics:Work-based learning and co-op modelsExperiential learning at scaleEmployer-sponsored apprenticeshipsCareer-connected learning ecosystemsSkills-based hiring and credentials
Themes:The classroom-to-career pipeline is broken and must be rebuilt as integrated ecosystemsExperiential learning and work-based credentials are becoming table stakes, not differentiatorsRegional and underserved populations demand equitable, scalable models of experiential learning

Industry context

Higher education institutions are adopting experiential learning and stronger employer alignment to improve student outcomes and credential relevance, while policymakers increasingly advocate for integrated apprenticeship and mentorship models beyond traditional academic structures.

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