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
Closing the First-Gen Underemployment Gap with the Founder of Basta, Sheila Sarem
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Getting into college is a massive achievement—but for first-generation students, graduating is often just the beginning of a new struggle. Why are so many talented graduates stuck in "underemployment" traps?
In this episode, Todd Zipper sits down with Sheila Sarem, Co-Founder and CEO of Basta. Sheila shares her journey from the front lines of hiring at DC Public Schools and KIPP to launching a nonprofit that bridges the "Last Mile" between college completion and career launch.
We discuss:
- The systemic "signaling" problems that keep recruiters from finding first-gen talent.
- How the Seekr Survey provides a roadmap for career readiness.
- The "Experience Paradox": How to land an entry-level job when you don't have a traditional internship.
- Basta's recent expansion into the Carolinas and Philadelphia.
- What university presidents should be measuring beyond graduation rates.
Whether you are an educator, a hiring manager, or a student of the labor market, this conversation offers a data-driven look at how we can finally fulfill the promise of higher education for everyone.