An Educated Guest
An Educated Guest is a podcast that dives deep into the innovations and trends shaping the future of education. The host is Todd Zipper who has over two decades as an entrepreneur, executive, and investor across K-12, Higher Education, and Workforce Development. He brings together visionaries, innovators, and operators from the education industry to explore the solutions that are transforming learning and work.
An Educated Guest
S3E22 | Scaling Experiential Learning with Dana Stephenson: Solving the "No Experience, No Job" Paradox
It is an all-too-common story: a student graduates with a degree but is rejected from entry-level jobs because they lack "real-world experience." On this episode of An Educated Guest, Todd Zipper sits down with Dana Stephenson, co-founder of Riipen, to discuss how his company is dismantling this barrier.
Dana shares how Riipen connects universities with a global network of employers to embed real-world projects directly into the curriculum. Instead of theoretical case studies, students work on actual business challenges, allowing them to build a portfolio and professional network before they ever leave campus.
Key topics discussed:
- The Origin Story: How a student project at the University of Victoria turned into a global marketplace.
- The Ecosystem: Solving the "chicken and egg" problem for schools and companies.
- Equity in Access: How virtual, project-based learning opens doors for non-traditional students and those who can’t afford unpaid internships.
- The Future of Work: Why 61% of entry-level jobs now require 3+ years of experience and how higher ed can adapt.