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Are we thinking about jobs all wrong? In this episode of the Work, Redefined Podcast, Scott Jensen, who leads the Future of Work practice at Infosys Public Services, sits down with Rachel Lipson, Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and co-founder of Harvard's Project on Workforce, to rethink how America builds its talent pipelines for the age of AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, and biomanufacturing.

For decades, the US has treated workforce development as anti-poverty policy instead of economic strategy — leaving the system underfunded, disconnected from employer demand, and stuck in what labor economist Harry Holzer calls a "low resource, low efficacy equilibrium." Rachel Lipson argues it's time to reposition workforce development as a core lever for US productivity growth, wage growth, and long-term economic competitiveness.

In this conversation, Rachel introduces the concept of frontier jobs — brand-new occupations created by emerging technologies that never existed before (think quantum technicians and AI data center specialists) — and contrasts them with "retool jobs," where the job title stays the same but the underlying skills shift dramatically. Drawing on research from her forthcoming book, The New American Frontier (out this fall), she shares real lessons from frontier regions across the country that are building the industries of the future.

What we cover in this episode:

Is workforce development the same as economic development? Why the answer is yes
How the US got stuck in a low-resource, low-efficacy workforce equilibrium
Frontier jobs vs. retool jobs — and why each needs a different training approach
Colorado's quantum computing workforce built on existing optics and photonics programs
Northern Virginia's data center boom powered by nuclear and skilled trades expertise
Massachusetts biotech: the risks of building a training pipeline for a boom that busts

👤 ABOUT THE GUEST
Rachel Lipson is co-founder and Scholar in Residence at Harvard's Project on Workforce and a Research Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is a Resident Scholar at the Aspen Institute's Economic Strategy Group and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro. From 2023 to 2025, she served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce's CHIPS Program Office, helping launch the workforce strategy behind the $50 billion federal investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing. She is co-editor of America's Hidden Economic Engines and author of the forthcoming book The New American Frontier. Her work has been featured by C-SPAN, NPR, Bloomberg, The Economist, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post.

Mentioned in this episode:
The New American Frontier (Rachel Lipson's forthcoming book) • David Autor (originator of the "frontier jobs" concept) • Harry Holzer (the "low resource, low efficacy equilibrium") • Austin Community College & Tesla • Texas Skills Development Fund

What you'll discover on this channel:
Expert insights on AI, innovation, and business transformation.
Interviews with global thought leaders and industry pioneers.
Practical strategies to drive performance and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.

00:00 Intro — Meet Rachel Lipson & the Work, Redefined Podcast
01:15 Is workforce development the same as economic development?
03:30 How the US got stuck in a "low resource, low efficacy equilibrium"
06:00 Why workforce development should be an economic growth strategy
08:15 What is a frontier job? (David Autor's concept explained)
10:30 Frontier jobs vs. retool jobs — different training approaches
12:30 How local workforce leaders should approach employers
15:45 Preparing for resilience: the boom-and-bust of Massachusetts biotech
19:15 How AI is reshaping hiring: networks & interview prep over resumes
19:45 Closing thoughts — American grit and working together

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