so the degree is dead or more accurately it is dying my name is Sergio Marrero
it is dying my name is Sergio Marrero
it is dying my name is Sergio Marrero and I have focused on research and
and I have focused on research and
and I have focused on research and access to higher education for about the
access to higher education for about the
access to higher education for about the past seven years and I’m going to share
past seven years and I’m going to share
past seven years and I’m going to share with you my learnings from my startup
with you my learnings from my startup
with you my learnings from my startup experience in the space and the reason
experience in the space and the reason
experience in the space and the reason I’m passionate about this work is
I’m passionate about this work is
I’m passionate about this work is because I was first my family to go to a
because I was first my family to go to a
because I was first my family to go to a four-year institution and realized the
four-year institution and realized the
four-year institution and realized the value that it has brought me and I think
value that it has brought me and I think
value that it has brought me and I think everyone should have access to the
everyone should have access to the
everyone should have access to the richness of these communities and this
richness of these communities and this
richness of these communities and this network but when I say the degree is
network but when I say the degree is
network but when I say the degree is that what I mean is it’s not a ticket to
that what I mean is it’s not a ticket to
that what I mean is it’s not a ticket to a job it used to be but today it’s
a job it used to be but today it’s
a job it used to be but today it’s different most people don’t use higher
different most people don’t use higher
different most people don’t use higher education as a way to train and retrain
education as a way to train and retrain
education as a way to train and retrain to get a job and keep pace with the
to get a job and keep pace with the
to get a job and keep pace with the evolving economy but through our
evolving economy but through our
evolving economy but through our research what we found is everything
research what we found is everything
research what we found is everything that exists to create an accessible
that exists to create an accessible
that exists to create an accessible system is already here and we can make
system is already here and we can make
system is already here and we can make this future possible I’m going to share
this future possible I’m going to share
this future possible I’m going to share how we can do that with you so my
how we can do that with you so my
how we can do that with you so my journey started working in Philadelphia
journey started working in Philadelphia
journey started working in Philadelphia as a consultant not too far from here
as a consultant not too far from here
as a consultant not too far from here and I was mentoring a high school
and I was mentoring a high school
and I was mentoring a high school student that wanted to go to college he
student that wanted to go to college he
student that wanted to go to college he was first in his family to go to college
was first in his family to go to college
was first in his family to go to college came from a single-parent household and
came from a single-parent household and
came from a single-parent household and didn’t have someone to go to and we work
didn’t have someone to go to and we work
didn’t have someone to go to and we work together and I helped him apply and he
together and I helped him apply and he
together and I helped him apply and he got in and it was through that I felt
got in and it was through that I felt
got in and it was through that I felt very satisfied because I had gone
very satisfied because I had gone
very satisfied because I had gone through the process and I was helping
through the process and I was helping
through the process and I was helping him and I wanted to do more of that so I
him and I wanted to do more of that so I
him and I wanted to do more of that so I ended up going back to grad school and
ended up going back to grad school and
ended up going back to grad school and focusing on impact innovation and
focusing on impact innovation and
focusing on impact innovation and started with education and within the
started with education and within the
started with education and within the first two months he called me and he
first two months he called me and he
first two months he called me and he told me this I have to help my mom pay
told me this I have to help my mom pay
told me this I have to help my mom pay rent I need to drop out you see he was
rent I need to drop out you see he was
rent I need to drop out you see he was working full time and he still couldn’t
working full time and he still couldn’t
working full time and he still couldn’t make enough to pay to go to school
make enough to pay to go to school
make enough to pay to go to school full-time and help his mother pay rent
full-time and help his mother pay rent
full-time and help his mother pay rent and then he moved to part-time status
and then he moved to part-time status
and then he moved to part-time status which made him ineligible for aides so
which made him ineligible for aides so
which made him ineligible for aides so he dropped out altogether and while we
he dropped out altogether and while we
he dropped out altogether and while we were researching this made me frustrated
were researching this made me frustrated
were researching this made me frustrated and I said what can I do but at this
and I said what can I do but at this
and I said what can I do but at this point we research to understand how big
point we research to understand how big
point we research to understand how big is this problem and how we can help make
is this problem and how we can help make
is this problem and how we can help make a difference for more people
a difference for more people
a difference for more people so we dived in and I’ll share what we
so we dived in and I’ll share what we
so we dived in and I’ll share what we learned put your hands up if you’re in
learned put your hands up if you’re in
learned put your hands up if you’re in college or you’ve been to college
college or you’ve been to college
college or you’ve been to college right we represent the minority 40% of
right we represent the minority 40% of
right we represent the minority 40% of the US has been to college 40 percent if
the US has been to college 40 percent if
the US has been to college 40 percent if you look around the world its 7% just
you look around the world its 7% just
you look around the world its 7% just let that sink in for a minute we are a
let that sink in for a minute we are a
let that sink in for a minute we are a very small group of very privileged
very small group of very privileged
very small group of very privileged people this shocked me and shook our
people this shocked me and shook our
people this shocked me and shook our team and said why is this so we took a
team and said why is this so we took a
team and said why is this so we took a step deeper and a lot of it is the cost
step deeper and a lot of it is the cost
step deeper and a lot of it is the cost the cost of higher education
the cost of higher education
the cost of higher education specifically in the US has outpaced
specifically in the US has outpaced
specifically in the US has outpaced wages has outpaced housing has out paid
wages has outpaced housing has out paid
wages has outpaced housing has out paid other consumer products when you
other consumer products when you
other consumer products when you graduate you will graduate with at least
graduate you will graduate with at least
graduate you will graduate with at least $35,000 worth of debt on average right
$35,000 worth of debt on average right
$35,000 worth of debt on average right and that is that is pretty scary so
and that is that is pretty scary so
and that is that is pretty scary so taking a step deeper I think at this
taking a step deeper I think at this
taking a step deeper I think at this point I said you know what the answer is
point I said you know what the answer is
point I said you know what the answer is let’s make College free but the more we
let’s make College free but the more we
let’s make College free but the more we actually interview people with college
actually interview people with college
actually interview people with college degrees and how they correlate to jobs
degrees and how they correlate to jobs
degrees and how they correlate to jobs that won’t solve the problem we heard
that won’t solve the problem we heard
that won’t solve the problem we heard stories of this young woman she had a
stories of this young woman she had a
stories of this young woman she had a background in psychology and she ended
background in psychology and she ended
background in psychology and she ended up working in retail and her story is
up working in retail and her story is
up working in retail and her story is not unique
not unique
not unique about 45% of the people that graduate
about 45% of the people that graduate
about 45% of the people that graduate with 4-year degrees are in jobs that
with 4-year degrees are in jobs that
with 4-year degrees are in jobs that aren’t aligned with what they studied
aren’t aligned with what they studied
aren’t aligned with what they studied let me back that up so you can think
let me back that up so you can think
let me back that up so you can think about that about half of the people that
about that about half of the people that
about that about half of the people that study something and they want a job in
study something and they want a job in
study something and they want a job in that field end up in something different
that field end up in something different
that field end up in something different because they can’t find work to put that
because they can’t find work to put that
because they can’t find work to put that into perspective let’s say you borrowed
into perspective let’s say you borrowed
into perspective let’s say you borrowed $35,000 to buy a brand-new car you
$35,000 to buy a brand-new car you
$35,000 to buy a brand-new car you waited a long time for that car and now
waited a long time for that car and now
waited a long time for that car and now you have it and you sat down and you go
you have it and you sat down and you go
you have it and you sat down and you go to turn it on and at about half the time
to turn it on and at about half the time
to turn it on and at about half the time it doesn’t work because that’s what you
it doesn’t work because that’s what you
it doesn’t work because that’s what you intended for it to do pretty sobering
intended for it to do pretty sobering
intended for it to do pretty sobering right so the next step was why why is
right so the next step was why why is
right so the next step was why why is there dis disconnect in higher education
there dis disconnect in higher education
there dis disconnect in higher education and jobs and we heard this what’s
and jobs and we heard this what’s
and jobs and we heard this what’s happening in the classroom is different
happening in the classroom is different
happening in the classroom is different from what’s happening in the field this
from what’s happening in the field this
from what’s happening in the field this young man he’s an entrepreneur he was
young man he’s an entrepreneur he was
young man he’s an entrepreneur he was working in a start-up focused on design
working in a start-up focused on design
working in a start-up focused on design he’s decided to go to school for design
he’s decided to go to school for design
he’s decided to go to school for design so he can be better at his job and he
so he can be better at his job and he
so he can be better at his job and he said what was happening in the classroom
said what was happening in the classroom
said what was happening in the classroom reputable school which I won’t mention
reputable school which I won’t mention
reputable school which I won’t mention was at least five years behind what was
was at least five years behind what was
was at least five years behind what was happening in the field and it makes
happening in the field and it makes
happening in the field and it makes sense if you think about the trends that
sense if you think about the trends that
sense if you think about the trends that are happening in technology you talk
are happening in technology you talk
are happening in technology you talk about
about
about self-driving cards reusable rockets AI
self-driving cards reusable rockets AI
self-driving cards reusable rockets AI that outsmarts people and digital
that outsmarts people and digital
that outsmarts people and digital currencies how can one institution keep
currencies how can one institution keep
currencies how can one institution keep up with all the emerging trends it’s
up with all the emerging trends it’s
up with all the emerging trends it’s highly unlikely and in a multi year
highly unlikely and in a multi year
highly unlikely and in a multi year program you’re likely to graduate you
program you’re likely to graduate you
program you’re likely to graduate you know learning things that don’t directly
know learning things that don’t directly
know learning things that don’t directly relate or are actually out of date and
relate or are actually out of date and
relate or are actually out of date and I’m not saying that college isn’t an
I’m not saying that college isn’t an
I’m not saying that college isn’t an amazing place at this point I can feel
amazing place at this point I can feel
amazing place at this point I can feel you’re pretty sobered by all this
you’re pretty sobered by all this
you’re pretty sobered by all this information I was too and College is an
information I was too and College is an
information I was too and College is an amazing place
amazing place
amazing place it creates research and innovation that
it creates research and innovation that
it creates research and innovation that shapes the world all those technology
shapes the world all those technology
shapes the world all those technology trends you see were made possible by
trends you see were made possible by
trends you see were made possible by innovation that came out of institutions
innovation that came out of institutions
innovation that came out of institutions I went to college and I made friends
I went to college and I made friends
I went to college and I made friends that I will have for the rest of my life
that I will have for the rest of my life
that I will have for the rest of my life but being real college is a luxury
but being real college is a luxury
but being real college is a luxury experience that very few get to engage
experience that very few get to engage
experience that very few get to engage in and while it’s a system of
in and while it’s a system of
in and while it’s a system of just-in-case learning there’s all this
just-in-case learning there’s all this
just-in-case learning there’s all this learning and we learn it just in case we
learning and we learn it just in case we
learning and we learn it just in case we may apply it to our jobs but we may not
may apply it to our jobs but we may not
may apply it to our jobs but we may not use all of it we need a system of
use all of it we need a system of
use all of it we need a system of just-in-time learning as well that fits
just-in-time learning as well that fits
just-in-time learning as well that fits what’s job and delivers education as we
what’s job and delivers education as we
what’s job and delivers education as we need it as we can afford it and as it
need it as we can afford it and as it
need it as we can afford it and as it fits with our careers so this is what we
fits with our careers so this is what we
fits with our careers so this is what we need for the rest of the people that can
need for the rest of the people that can
need for the rest of the people that can engage in this system and also for us
engage in this system and also for us
engage in this system and also for us when we’re no longer here so what we did
when we’re no longer here so what we did
when we’re no longer here so what we did to try to focus on building the system
to try to focus on building the system
to try to focus on building the system of just in time learning like a start-up
of just in time learning like a start-up
of just in time learning like a start-up we dived in
we dived in
we dived in we interviewed hundreds of people we
we interviewed hundreds of people we
we interviewed hundreds of people we interviewed college presidents current
interviewed college presidents current
interviewed college presidents current students dropouts experts in higher
students dropouts experts in higher
students dropouts experts in higher education and the future of work we
education and the future of work we
education and the future of work we started prototyping that’s my co-founder
started prototyping that’s my co-founder
started prototyping that’s my co-founder Alana Matos and we made certain things
Alana Matos and we made certain things
Alana Matos and we made certain things that we feel are directionally pointing
that we feel are directionally pointing
that we feel are directionally pointing at what the future concepts of a
at what the future concepts of a
at what the future concepts of a just-in-time learning system could be
just-in-time learning system could be
just-in-time learning system could be examples of that are chatbots where
examples of that are chatbots where
examples of that are chatbots where anyone could actually talk to this
anyone could actually talk to this
anyone could actually talk to this virtual assistant for career guidance
virtual assistant for career guidance
virtual assistant for career guidance rethinking the enrollment process so
rethinking the enrollment process so
rethinking the enrollment process so anyone can engage in any course anywhere
anyone can engage in any course anywhere
anyone can engage in any course anywhere anytime and taking free learning and
anytime and taking free learning and
anytime and taking free learning and aligning it so that people that can’t
aligning it so that people that can’t
aligning it so that people that can’t get in here can learn cutting-edge
get in here can learn cutting-edge
get in here can learn cutting-edge subjects with free learning in all of
subjects with free learning in all of
subjects with free learning in all of this what we learned is for things that
this what we learned is for things that
this what we learned is for things that we
we
we can change and create a system of access
can change and create a system of access
can change and create a system of access and sustainable learning for the world
and sustainable learning for the world
and sustainable learning for the world and we’re going to share that with you
and we’re going to share that with you
and we’re going to share that with you today the first part is unbundle while
today the first part is unbundle while
today the first part is unbundle while people couldn’t afford the entire
people couldn’t afford the entire
people couldn’t afford the entire experience the whole four-year
experience the whole four-year
experience the whole four-year experience they could afford an
experience they could afford an
experience they could afford an individual course or an individual class
individual course or an individual class
individual course or an individual class so pairing that with the videos books
so pairing that with the videos books
so pairing that with the videos books podcasts articles that are being created
podcasts articles that are being created
podcasts articles that are being created that are actually some of the latest
that are actually some of the latest
that are actually some of the latest learning is step one step two is
learning is step one step two is
learning is step one step two is actually reassembling that two jobs an
actually reassembling that two jobs an
actually reassembling that two jobs an example of that that we use was there’s
example of that that we use was there’s
example of that that we use was there’s a self-driving car job in Detroit and
a self-driving car job in Detroit and
a self-driving car job in Detroit and the best match to learn that job quickly
the best match to learn that job quickly
the best match to learn that job quickly was actually a local class at Lawrence
was actually a local class at Lawrence
was actually a local class at Lawrence Tech and so that they get the in-person
Tech and so that they get the in-person
Tech and so that they get the in-person community and interaction and the
community and interaction and the
community and interaction and the self-driving car degree by Udacity that
self-driving car degree by Udacity that
self-driving car degree by Udacity that was the quickest fastest cheapest way to
was the quickest fastest cheapest way to
was the quickest fastest cheapest way to get them into that job the next is
get them into that job the next is
get them into that job the next is creating areas of application and a
creating areas of application and a
creating areas of application and a place that’s doing this well is P Tech
place that’s doing this well is P Tech
place that’s doing this well is P Tech High School out in Brooklyn and they
High School out in Brooklyn and they
High School out in Brooklyn and they work with IBM and these students learn
work with IBM and these students learn
work with IBM and these students learn computer science they intern at IBM and
computer science they intern at IBM and
computer science they intern at IBM and they graduate job ready and the last is
they graduate job ready and the last is
they graduate job ready and the last is credentialing and we need this for
credentialing and we need this for
credentialing and we need this for employers right now they’re using the
employers right now they’re using the
employers right now they’re using the degree because there’s no other options
degree because there’s no other options
degree because there’s no other options but we can actually create a smarter
but we can actually create a smarter
but we can actually create a smarter data-driven indicator an example of that
data-driven indicator an example of that
data-driven indicator an example of that let’s say I’m applying to a job and you
let’s say I’m applying to a job and you
let’s say I’m applying to a job and you have my learning history you can
have my learning history you can
have my learning history you can actually compare me my learning history
actually compare me my learning history
actually compare me my learning history to people that are in the job right now
to people that are in the job right now
to people that are in the job right now and you might be looking at this and
and you might be looking at this and
and you might be looking at this and trying to wrap your head around it it’s
trying to wrap your head around it it’s
trying to wrap your head around it it’s simple we do this with dating apps right
simple we do this with dating apps right
simple we do this with dating apps right we match people we come up with a match
we match people we come up with a match
we match people we come up with a match there is no reason that we cannot do
there is no reason that we cannot do
there is no reason that we cannot do this for jobs and also you can tell me
this for jobs and also you can tell me
this for jobs and also you can tell me what I need to learn to be a better
what I need to learn to be a better
what I need to learn to be a better match for that job instead of hearing no
match for that job instead of hearing no
match for that job instead of hearing no from the job and and being frustrated
from the job and and being frustrated
from the job and and being frustrated and unclear of where you need to go next
and unclear of where you need to go next
and unclear of where you need to go next so these are the things we can do
so these are the things we can do
so these are the things we can do unbundling the learning across
unbundling the learning across
unbundling the learning across institutions aligning it to jobs
institutions aligning it to jobs
institutions aligning it to jobs creating areas where we can apply that
creating areas where we can apply that
creating areas where we can apply that learning in context and creating
learning in context and creating
learning in context and creating credentials that are based on real data
credentials that are based on real data
credentials that are based on real data and not subjectivity of a group and
and not subjectivity of a group and
and not subjectivity of a group and there are already companies working on
there are already companies working on
there are already companies working on this making impact in the space and
this making impact in the space and
this making impact in the space and making bridges for people to get jobs
making bridges for people to get jobs
making bridges for people to get jobs and retrain with the evolving economy
and retrain with the evolving economy
and retrain with the evolving economy but there are too many people that are
but there are too many people that are
but there are too many people that are being served today and this is the big
being served today and this is the big
being served today and this is the big idea I came to share with you today is
idea I came to share with you today is
idea I came to share with you today is the technology already exists to make
the technology already exists to make
the technology already exists to make this possible we can make a system that
this possible we can make a system that
this possible we can make a system that is that not only helps people train and
is that not only helps people train and
is that not only helps people train and retrain to keep up with the evolving
retrain to keep up with the evolving
retrain to keep up with the evolving economy and improves our country and our
economy and improves our country and our
economy and improves our country and our world but it’s up to us to create a
world but it’s up to us to create a
world but it’s up to us to create a better future
better future
better future thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment