In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shonda Gibson and Dr. Mary Liz Brooks to explore how the Texas A&M University System is preparing students for a rapidly changing job market. Across its 11 campuses, Texas A&M is embedding industry-aligned credentials into degree programs to bridge academic learning and workforce needs—at scale.

Shonda, who leads academic transformation for the entire system, shares how a community-of-practice model has driven adoption from the ground up, allowing each campus to tailor implementation while staying aligned to a shared vision. Mary Liz brings the classroom perspective, highlighting how students are engaging with Coursera’s Career Academy to build confidence, gain real-world skills, and shape their professional identities—before graduation.

This conversation offers a powerful look at what’s possible when system-level innovation meets faculty-led experimentation, and how higher education can support student success far beyond the classroom.

We also cover:

🎓 What “career readiness” means in the age of automation and AI

🔧 How Texas A&M embedded Career Academy directly into curriculum

📊 The impact of over 20,000 learning hours and 4,700+ course completions

🌍 Strategies for equity and access across rural and urban campuses

🧩 What public universities can do to rethink ROI and lifelong learning

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Explore Coursera Career Academy and learn how institutions are embedding real-world learning into their degree programs: coursera.org/campus

We sat down with Valerie Singer, General Manager of AWS Global Education, to talk about how organizations are preparing their workforces for the AI era.

Drawing on insights from From Cloud to AI: How Tech Leaders Are Investing in Skills Development to Drive Transformation, a new global survey from Coursera and AWS, Valerie shares why cloud and cybersecurity remain foundational to AI transformation, how hands-on learning is shaping the next generation of tech talent, and why AI literacy matters for everyone—not just technical roles. She also highlights how AWS is partnering globally to close skills gaps and expand opportunity, from professional certificates with Coursera to programs serving underserved communities.

Whether you’re a business leader, educator, or lifelong learner, this episode offers practical lessons on how to build resilient teams and unlock opportunity through skills.

We also cover:

• • ⚡ Why cloud infrastructure is the bedrock for AI at scale
  • 🔧 How hands-on learning and customization are reshaping training
  • 🌱 AWS initiatives to bridge skills gaps in underserved communities
  • 🧩 Why AI literacy matters across both technical and non-technical roles
  • ✨ Lessons from global workforce development models driving equity and access

  
  

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  Explore AWS Professional Certificates and Specializations on Coursera, from Generative AI Applications to Cloud Solutions Architecture, and start building the skills to power the future of work.

We sat down with Dr. Jerry Wind, Lauder Professor Emeritus and Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, to explore what creativity means in an era where AI can generate art, ideas, and strategies in seconds.

A pioneer in marketing science and strategic innovation, Jerry shares how human imagination, intuition, and courage remain at the heart of innovation—even as generative AI reshapes the way we create and learn. He introduces lessons from his new Coursera course, Creativity in Business and Other Disciplines, and companion book, Creativity in the Age of AI, offering a bold framework for rethinking how we approach creativity across industries and education.

Whether you’re a business leader, educator, or lifelong learner, this episode highlights practical ways to unlock new ideas, embrace experimentation, and challenge the status quo.

We also cover:

• 🎨 The role of AI in amplifying (not replacing) human creativity

• 🔬 Why adaptive experimentation is essential for leaders

• 💡 Lessons on courage, persistence, and unlearning from innovators across fields

• 📚 How education must evolve to foster imagination alongside skills

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Explore courses on creativity, innovation, and leadership at Coursera.org to build the skills you need to spark new ideas and thrive in a rapidly changing world.