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How Technical Colleges Are Redefining Learning for the Future of Work - Layla Merrifield, President of the WTCS
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Haven’t been to a technical college in the last 3 years? The transformation is striking, and it’s only a glimpse of the reinvention higher education faces in the next decade.
In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner talks with Layla Merrifield, President of the Wisconsin Technical College System, about why the future of higher education depends on bold innovation. Merrifield doesn’t mince words: credit loss should be a thing of the past, neurodivergent inclusion is an imperative, and U.S. colleges can no longer “rest on our laurels” as global competition accelerates.
From the arrival of Workforce Pell, to personalized student success plans, to stackable credentials, Merrifield argues that technical and community colleges must evolve—or risk irrelevance. Her perspective offers educators and employers alike a roadmap for building systems that are more inclusive, more responsive, and more essential than ever.
Listen to learn:
- The implications of expanding Pell Grants to short-term, high-demand programs (8–15 weeks) and how this reshapes access to workforce training.
- How Wisconsin’s technical college system compares to others in terms of state oversight, innovation, and responsiveness—and what models elsewhere might teach WTCS and vice versa.
- How “credit loss should be a thing of the past”—why stackable credentials and seamless transfer paths are non-negotiable.
- Why Layla argues for a universal design for learning that accommodates neurodivergent learners (and why it's the best mode for all students).
- Why Merrifield believes technical colleges must “evolve or be left behind” in a world of AI, disruption, and global competition.
Resources in this Episode:
Learn more about the Wisconsin Technical College System: www.wtcsystem.edu
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