Innovation Unplugged

Innovation Unplugged
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The official podcast of the Alabama Community College System's Innovation Center

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    From Asphalt to Advocacy: Leadership That Builds Systems

    Tim McCartney’s journey from a family construction business to statewide workforce leadership offers a powerful lesson: real leadership builds people and systems that outlast you.In this episode, Houston and Matt explore Tim’s philosophy on servant leadership, competitive standards, competency-based hiring, and why Alabama’s community colleges are central to the state’s economic future. If you care about technical education, employer engagement, and creating high-paid, high-demand career pathways — this conversation delivers both vision and execution.

    49 min

  2. 30 MAR

    Build the Backbone. Empower the Frontline: Inside the Strategy That Connects High Schools, Adult Ed, and Industry

    Great workforce systems aren’t built on programs—they’re built on infrastructure. Dr.Courtney Taylor breaks down how Accelerate Mississippi serves as a single point of coordination while empowering colleges, nonprofits, and industry partners to execute locally. The discussion explores career coaches in every high school, reconnect strategies for 18–24-year-olds, flexible funding mechanisms, and the power of working with champions instead of chasing consensus. If you care about breaking silos between education and workforce, this episode delivers a practical roadmap.

    47 min

  3. 23 MAR

    Earn While You Learn: A Smarter Model for Alabama’s Workforce Future

    What if students didn’t have to choose between education and income? In this episode of Innovation Unplugged, Houston Blackwood and Matt Heaton sit down with AudreyWebb to explore how FAME and Registered Apprenticeships are giving students real paychecks, real experience, and real career direction—while still in school. From manufacturing floors to healthcare systems, these work-based learning models are helping students graduate workforce-ready and helping employers build loyal, skilled talent pipelines across Alabama.

    41 min

  4. 16 MAR

    Aligned to Win: How Strategic Workforce Partnerships Drive Growth

    When workforce strategy aligns with real employer demand, everyone benefits. In this episode, Barry May shares how ACCS partners with industries across manufacturing, healthcare, construction, logistics, and beyond to deliver training that strengthens bothcompanies and communities. Houston and Matt explore how funding, alignment, and collaboration translate into employee advancement, business expansion, and long-term economic stability. It’s a look at how disciplined strategy creates human impact.

    49 min

  5. 9 MAR

    Right Formation, Right Play Part 2

    High-performing teams don’t fail because of effort—they fail because of misalignment.In this episode of Innovation Unplugged, Houston Blackwood sits down with WesChenault of Durbin Leadership to explore how great leaders diagnose invisible barriers,build relational equity, and align their teams for decisive execution.This Two-Part episode delivers a practical blueprint for leaders who want to movebeyond reaction and into intentional command—developing people, resolving conflict atits root, and creating the alignment required to execute with confidence. Because whenthe team is in the right formation, the right play becomes obvious—and executionbecomes unstoppable.

    40 min

  6. 2 MAR

    Right Formation, Right Play Part 1

    High-performing teams don’t fail because of effort—they fail because of misalignment. In this episode of Innovation Unplugged, Houston Blackwood and Matt Heaton sit downwith Wes Chenault of Durbin Leadership to explore how great leaders diagnose invisible barriers, build relational equity, and align their teams for decisive execution.This Two-Part episode delivers a practical blueprint for leaders who want to move beyond reaction and into intentional command—developing people, resolving conflict atits root, and creating the alignment required to execute with confidence. Because when the team is in the right formation, the right play becomes obvious—and executionbecomes unstoppable.

    30 min

  7. 26 FEB

    Crystal Clear Command: How Clarity Meets Expectations

    What separates leaders who create momentum from those who create bottlenecks? In this episode of Innovation Unplugged, Houston Blackwood sits down with Dan Durbin ofDurbin Leadership to unpack the real work of leadership—building capacity, developing people, and creating systems that outlast any one individual.

    50 min

  8. 16 FEB

    Why Human Skills Matter: The Perfect Pairing of Skills for Success and Flawless Delivery

    Episode 88 of Innovation Unplugged explores how Flawless Delivery strengthens frontline workforce training by centering empathy, communication, and engagement—skills that elevate performance across the hospitality industry. Guests Dr. Ryan-Cate Gibson and Thea Harvey-Barrett discuss how this human-skills training pairs seamlessly with Skills for Success hospitality courses in food and beverage, hotel operations, and barista service, creating a well-rounded professional development pathway. Together, these complementary offerings equip colleges to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant training that improves morale, retention, and customer experience for hospitality professionals.

    42 min
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About

The official podcast of the Alabama Community College System's Innovation Center

Information

  • Creator
    Innovation Unplugged
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    95
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Innovation Unplugged
  • Show Website
    Innovation Unplugged