After lighting up the college model in Episode 1, Peter and Alli come back with the real question: if higher ed is broken… what replaces it? Jeremy Smith (PEGA6 co-founder/CEO) answers with one phrase that frames the entire episode: workforce engineering.

Jeremy argues that education shouldn’t be treated like a pipeline where students just get moved along. It should be treated like a supply chain where value is added at every stage—because the goal is not “school completion,” it’s readiness for the next step. And in his model, the customer isn’t the student (even though they pay)—the customer is the employer, because that’s where the best jobs and opportunities get decided.

From there, Jeremy breaks “job-ready” into three non-negotiables for the AI age:

Technical Skills — not “theory,” but real, usable tools and mechanics of the job (he references things like industry tools and workflows).

Soft Skills — communication, professionalism, managing up, teamwork—the things that make people actually promotable and trusted.

AI-First Approach — not just knowing AI tools, but thinking AI-first to accelerate work, then finishing with human judgment and technical fundamentals.

Then the conversation gets spicy again—in the best way:

Jeremy calls out the “college builds critical thinking” claim as a myth, arguing real critical thinking is a concrete set of skills (biases, logic, stats, fallacies) that most students aren’t systematically taught.

Alli challenges the framing: “Are we just building workers? What about leaders?” Jeremy’s answer is timing: optimize for the next step first, then build leadership later through real experience (and future “Pegas7”-type progression).

Peter hits the big fear word: pigeonholing. Jeremy flips it—being “open to everything” but skilled at nothing isn’t optionality; being skilled creates mobility. And the solution for students who don’t know their path is better “routing” earlier—he directly connects this to aptitude/fit tools like YouScience.

The episode ends with a clean cliffhanger: next week they go inside PEGA6—how it’s being built, what the accelerator experience looks like, and how close it is to launch.

If you came this far... head to www.pega6.com/dep You won't be disappointed!

Welcome to 2026 — and the Disrupt Education Podcast’s 10th year — with one word leading the charge: Bold. Peter and Alli kick off a brand-new 4-part series with Jeremy Smith, founder and CEO of PEGA6, and he doesn’t tiptoe into the conversation… he kicks the door in.

Jeremy shares his path from investment banking and multiple startup exits to building what he calls a totally new kind of higher ed: a one-year, $15K, career accelerator designed for the AI age. His claim is simple and explosive: the only thing most universities reliably provide is a “stamp,” not real readiness. Students leave with debt, time lost, and too often no practical skills—while employers are stuck spending the first year turning new hires from zero to one.

From there, the episode gets real:

Jeremy argues universities only lower prices when forced by real competition (and he believes universities can’t compete with a faster, cheaper, experiential model).

He breaks down who gets harmed by the status quo (parents, students, employers… basically everyone) and who benefits (universities).

He connects the entry-level job squeeze to a brutal reality: AI tools don’t have to be amazing to replace grads—because many grads show up unprepared.

The conversation also hits a key instructional truth you and I both love: skills only develop through doing. Jeremy uses the bike-riding analogy to torch the lecture-test-textbook model for skill-building, pushing “just-in-time fundamentals” after failure and experience—not frontloaded theory.

The episode ends by teasing Part 2: Workforce Engineering, and Jeremy’s belief that education should function less like a pipeline and more like a supply chain—starting with what employers actually need and building backward from there.

This isn’t a polite conversation about education reform. It’s a blueprint to burn down a broken model and build something that actually prepares students to win alongside AI.

If you came this far... head to www.pega6.com/dep You won't be disappointed!

What a year. 🎙

In this special New Year’s episode of the Disrupt Education Podcast, Peter Hostrawser and Alli Dahl look back on 2025 – the year disrupting education stopped being “spicy” and started becoming the norm.

They unpack:

How the podcast crossed 400+ episodes and over half a million downloads, and why it still feels like a movement more than a show

Why 2025 felt like education finally catching fire – with more CTE leaders, WBL innovators, and classroom “doers” stepping up and sharing what actually works

The impact of the student summer series (Liam, Isaac, Abby, Lindsay, and Derek) and how their honest stories exposed where the system drops learners

The global-to-local arc:

EduVitality with Kristy Volesky

State-level transformation with Dr. Gary Skeen in Virginia

District and academy models with Scott Carr and Jeff Stenroos

Human-centered change with Dr. Karen Baptiste (Dr. K) and teacher efficacy

How partnering with YouScience and running a 6-part series on aptitudes, exposure gaps, and economic development reframed everything from “pipelines” to pathways with on- and off-ramps

Why language, mindset, and individual aptitudes matter more than ever for students and educators

Stories from Peter’s own internship students and his kids that show how young people are already thinking differently about college, cost, and career

Peter and Alli close the year with gratitude for the Disrupt Education community – teachers, parents, students, leaders – and a promise: 2026 is going to be bolder, messier, and even more real.

If you care about where school is going next, this recap sets the stage.Check out www.disrupteducationpodcast.com for more!

What if the real disruption in education isn’t a new program… but how we use time, teachers, and tech?

In this Disrupt Education recap episode, Alli Dahl and Peter Hostrawser unpack the big ideas from their conversation with Kristy Volesky and Jeff Frost, authors of CTE Reimagined: The Blueprint for Education’s Future—and then push them even further.

In this episode, Alli and Peter dive into:

Why traditional school structures are brokenRethinking 18-week semesters, quarters, and “one pace for everyone” – and what happens when a student finishes meaningful work in 3 weeks instead of 18.

AI vs. controlling classroomsHow AI will expose and replace lecture-heavy, compliance-driven teaching – and why the teachers who refuse to loosen control will struggle the most.

CTE as the vehicle for reimagining ALL of educationFrom “pipelines” that produce workers to pathways with on- and off-ramps that let students pivot, explore, and design nonlinear careers.

Teachers as the untapped superpowerWhy real change won’t just come from superintendents or state leaders—and how using tools like YouScience aptitudes for educators could help reassign roles, break silos, and build truly student-centered teams.

Experiences are greater than lecturesPeter and Alli share stories from real classrooms, internships, and college projects that students actually remember—and how that connects directly to the CTE Reimagined vision.

A challenge for 2026 and beyond

Letting go of ego, fear, and tradition. Embracing messy, human, high-impact learning. And using this “off-season” (even winter break) to level up how we serve students.

If you’re a CTE leader, classroom teacher, counselor, admin, or just someone who knows school has to evolve, this recap will give you fuel, language, and a healthy dose of “let’s go” energy.

Head to www.disrupteducationpodcast.com for more!

What if CTE stopped just filling jobs and started building future leaders and communities?

In this episode of the Disrupt Education Podcast, hosts Alli Dahl and Peter Hostrawser sit down with Kristy Volesky and Jeff Frost to dig into their new book, CTE Reimagined: The Blueprint for Education’s Future. This isn’t another “how to run a program” manual—it’s a salty, honest challenge to the status quo of compliance, checkboxes, and shiny new buildings that don’t change student outcomes.

Kristy and Jeff unpack why traditional “workforce development” thinking is not enough, and why CTE must shift toward economic development and leadership development. They talk about:

-The danger of designing CTE only for today’s vacancies instead of tomorrow’s non-linear careers

-Why “pipelines” trap students, and how on-ramps and off-ramps create agility and real options

-How ego, fear, and tradition keep districts stuck in pretend “hands-on” learning instead of real-world impact

-The 40 disruptors featured in the book who are already reimagining programs across the country

-How schools can start rebuilding CTE with what they already have—without waiting for a new building or a new mandate

If you’re in CTE, K–12, higher ed, workforce, economic development, or a community that cares about its future, this conversation will push you to rethink what “career-ready” really means.

🔗 Learn more about Kristy & Jeff’s work:www.voleskyconsulting.com📘 Get the book – CTE Reimagined: The Blueprint for Education’s Future:https://www.amazon.com/CTE-Reimagined-Blueprint-Educations-Future/dp/B0FTV9SCTM

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations that actually disrupt education.Share this episode with a CTE leader, superintendent, or policymaker who’s ready to move beyond box-checking.

This is it — the wrap-up to a series that’s genuinely changed how we think about readiness, purpose, and the future of learning.

In this powerful finale, Peter Hostrawser and Alli Dahl pull together everything uncovered across six episodes: the exposure gap, the purpose gap, the human connection behind career discovery, and how aptitudes—not guesswork—can reshape an entire education system.

This episode is a dedication—to every student who felt lost, every teacher who wished for a better tool, and every district searching for a breakthrough. If you’ve ever wondered why students disengage, or how to actually build meaningful pathways that set them free, this is the conversation you’ll want to sit with.

What You’ll Hear:- Why YouScience is modernizing career readiness—not just tweaking it

- How aptitudes can level the playing field and create true equity

- Why “pipelines” aren’t limiting—they’re liberating when built on strengths

- The real reason 66% of students disengage (and how to fix it)

- Why interests aren’t enough—and how misalignment leads to costly detours

- The emotional reality of discovering what you’re actually built for

- A full reflection on the impact of episodes with Jason, Shannon & Katie, Edson Barton, and Abby

- How clarity, exposure, and connection can transform a community

- What educators can do tomorrow to start this shift

This finale reminds us that education shouldn’t be about guessing, drifting, or “hoping it works out.” When students understand who they are, what they’re wired for, and how that connects to real opportunities, everything changes.

This series showed us one thing over and over:There’s so much talent out there that doesn’t even know it’s talented.Aptitudes unlock it.

Explore more about YouScience and how it helps every learner become connected and ready:www.youscience.com/disrupteducation-podcast

What happens when you see your future unfold — live, in real time?

In this immersive episode of the Disrupt Education x YouScience series, hosts Peter Hostrawser and Alli Dahl pull back the curtain for the first-ever live aptitude and career discovery walkthrough with Jason Van Nus and returning guest Abby Caudill. Abby—whose first episode sparked this entire series—joins to explore her real YouScience results on camera.

This isn’t theory. It’s YouScience in action.

Watch as data meets self-discovery: how aptitudes reveal hidden potential, why interests alone can mislead, and how combining both can change the way students—and adults—see their next steps.

What You’ll Hear:

-Live breakdown of Abby’s aptitude assessment and career matches

-The difference between interests and aptitudes (and why it matters)

-How YouScience exposes unseen career options through real data

-Coaching moments that uncover strengths, confidence, and clarity

-The myth that career success depends only on passion—and what replaces it

This episode shows why readiness starts with self-awareness, not guesswork.

Watch this one if you’ve ever questioned your direction, your fit, or your next move. You’ll see how data, not luck, can change everything.

Learn more about YouScience and how they’re helping every student become connected and ready:

www.youscience.com/disrupteducation-podcast

Innovation in education doesn’t stop with a platform — it evolves through integration, purpose, and human connection.

In this forward-looking episode of the Disrupt Education x YouScience series, Peter Hostrawser and Alli Dahl sit down with Edson Barton, CEO and Founder of YouScience, to explore what’s next for education technology — from AI-driven career tools to human-centered workforce coaching.

Edson’s journey from a disengaged student to a visionary founder is a story that mirrors millions of learners today — those asking, “Why am I learning this?” His answer: when students connect learning to their future selves, everything changes.What You’ll Hear:- How YouScience is redefining aptitude-based career discovery through innovation and integration

- The responsible use of AI to personalize student pathways and spark deeper engagement

- Why human connection will always be the new currency — even in a tech-driven world

- Real stories of schools, colleges, and communities using YouScience to close the gap between learning and work

- How industry partnerships and certifications create bridges between classrooms and careers

This episode goes beyond technology. It’s about how innovation, empathy, and purpose come together to create the next generation of future-ready learners.

Listen now to see how education can evolve beyond the platform — toward a world where every student is known, connected, and ready for what’s next.

Learn more about YouScience and how they’re helping every student become connected and ready:

www.youscience.com/disrupteducation-podcast.