Rethinking Credentials: The Shift Toward Digital Skills-Based Education with Michael Readey of University of Colorado Boulder and Christy Bozic of Duke University

Today’s students aren’t just looking for a degree; they’re looking for an edge in a fast-changing world. Employers, meanwhile, want skills they can see, not just credentials on paper. In this episode, we’re joined by Michael Readey, Professor, Engineering Management, at University of Colorado Boulder, and Christy Bozic, Executive Director, Master of Engineering Management Program, at Duke University. We explore how universities and employers can align more effectively to build a future-ready workforce, starting with skills, sustainability and stackable learning models. Key Takeaways: (02:40) Students must adapt to rapid industry change. (05:08) Academia struggles to match the pace of tech. (08:43) Partnerships close education-industry gaps. (13:17) Siemens embeds sustainability across roles. (18:38) Employers prioritize skill-based hiring. (20:43) Stackable learning supports career mobility. (26:26) Most learners are early-career professionals. (30:14) Peer diversity enriches learning. (45:17) Faculty exchanges strengthen relevance. (50:02) Skills-based education is key to the future of learning. Resources Mentioned: Michael Readey https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-j-readey-16738112/ University of Colorado Boulder https://www.linkedin.com/school/cuboulder/ Christy Bozic https://www.linkedin.com/in/christybozicphd/ Duke University https://www.linkedin.com/school/duke-engineering/ Project Drawdown https://drawdown.org/ Coursera https://www.coursera.org/ ABET https://www.abet.org/ Thanks for listening to “Engineering the Future Workforce.” If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations. #EngineeringEducation #ElectricalEngineering #MechanicalEngineering