The National Skills Coalition has launched the Skilled America podcast. Hosted by Rachel Unruh, chief of external affairs at NSC, the podcast series is devoted to the policies, politics, and people driving the discussion on skills in today's economy.

The series began in April, and the roster of guests to date has included business leaders from the manufacturing, healthcare, and education industries. Unruh has spoken with frontline industry leaders to discuss some of the new challenges in workforce development brought on by the pandemic. While conversations are not completely focused on L&D, listeners will hear leaders share concerns about the workforce at large. In those conversations, talent development and associated concerns rise as a common, recurring theme across episodes.

In the episode "Manufacturing a Response," manufacturing industry leaders discuss how their companies have adapted in the age of social distancing and what they think about the sudden attention their essential work has brought. And in "The Digital (Learning) Divide," education leaders discuss concerns shared by instructors tasked with creating new learning environments.

Episodes run around 30 minutes and are released weekly. Access Skilled America via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher.