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The Future Education Podcast explores how humanity will learn at the very edge of its evolution. Hosted by the University of the Universe, our mission is to reinvent higher education so it not only sustains but uplifts civilization into the next millennium. Each episode features pioneering educators, visionary scholars, breakthrough technologists, and cultural innovators as they uncover what’s essential for the future of learning—from cradle to maturity. From cutting-edge research labs to transformative ventures, we spotlight the people and ideas expanding both human potential and our shared potential as a society—laying the foundations for a wiser, more enduring future across the vast expanse of space and time yet to unfold.
[00:00:00] - (): Welcome to the Future Education Podcast, powered by the University of the Universe, where we explore how learning, technology and imagination collide. To create the future of human capability. Today's question, what if you didn't need a PhD to work in quantum tech? Sounds like heresy, right? Quantum has always sounded like something reserved for people with chalk dust in their hair and a particle accelerator in their backyard.
**** - (): But the data says otherwise. A new study from the Chicago Quantum Exchange analyzed more than 10,000 quantum job postings. And guess what? Over half of those roles require only a Bachelor's degree or none at all. So today we're unpacking how that changes the game for learners, universities, and anyone ready to build the future.
[00:01:00] - (): Quantum is no longer a research niche. It's a fast growing industry with jobs that pay well and are multiplying faster than anyone expected. According to the CQE analysis, around 55% of quantum jobs are open to people without a graduate degree. Only 31% require PhD. It's a seismic shift. Why? Because quantum companies aren't just hiring physics ISTs anymore.
**** - (): They need engineers, technicians, software developers, and people who can build and maintain incredibly precise instruments. In Chicago alone, the sector already accounts for hundreds of jobs from assembly and cryogenics technicians to optical alignment specialists. These are high skill, high pay positions that reward craft, not just credentials.
[00:02:00] - (): Let's be honest, the story we've been told for decades is that only elite academics get to play with the deep science toys. But quantum is forcing education itself to evolve. Here's my favorite part of the article, the story of Marie Grub. Marie was a cake decorator. She worked with icing piping bags and an obsession for precision.
**** - (): Eventually, she became a quantum technician at the super conducting quantum materials and systems center. What changed? Not her degree, her skills, the same steady hands and patience that made her good at cake design, made her excellent at assembling delicate quantum hardware. That's what this new industry is proving.
[00:03:00] - (): Dexterity, curiosity and discipline matter as much as diplomas. So when someone says, quantum is too complicated for me, I want to ask. Are you good with your hands? Are you methodical? Can you follow complex procedures and notice microscopic differences? Congratulations. You're already 70% of the way there.
**** - (): This is where things get interesting for us at University of the University, and most quantum jobs don't require a PhD. Then the education system built around that PhD bottleneck is a bit outdated. We need new models, apprenticeships, fast track programs, and project based learning that trains competence ahead of credentials.
[00:04:00] - (): That's what we are building pathways where a learner can go from zero to industry ready to immersive creative science-based education without bearing themselves in 10 years of debt and delay. Quantum is just one test case. The real question is how fast can we align education with reality? At the Chicago Quantum Exchange and Fermi Lab are hiring technicians, trade out of community colleges and advanced high school programs.
**** - (): That's our green light to redesign everything. So what can you do right now if this excites you? Number one. Identify your transferable skills. Are you in manufacturing, computing, electrical work, precision art? Those can translate directly. Number two, get literate, not necessarily expert. Learn the basics of quantum computing and cryogenics.
[00:05:00] - (): You can find free courses or open source platforms. Number three, find communities Chicago's quantum scene and others like it. Thrive on collaboration. The CQE Fermi lab and startups like EQ or inflection, all host public events. Number four, experiment. Build small code, simple quantum simulations, attend meetups, curiosity compounds, and remember, the next quantum leap in your career might not come from more schooling, it might come from better alignment between your abilities.
**** - (): And what the world needs now and in the future. The quantum era isn't waiting for gatekeepers. It's expanding so quickly. It needs builders, artists, and problem solvers, people who combine precision with imagination. If that sounds like you start now. Okay. Read the Chicago Quantum Exchange article I referenced.
[00:06:00] - (): We'll link it in the show notes, and if you want to explore how education can evolve to meet this new frontier, keep abreast of what's going on at University of the Universe. You can visit ut.xyz. Listen to the podcast and follow us on the socials as we grow.