Work and Learning Series-The New American Frontier

New technologies are reshaping the US economy, affecting nearly every sector. Pioneering regions are unlocking technical jobs that require practical skills, not necessarily a four-year degree. Real-life examples reveal evolving training, innovation in education, and fresh approaches to workforce development. A forward-looking blueprint for job training in the age of AI, from the front lines of technological change New technologies are reshaping the foundations of the US economy, with implications that may ultimately affect nearly every industry. But unlike previous waves of technological changes—when gains mostly accrued to the most educated or most privileged amongst us—this time could be different. In The New American Frontier, Rachel Lipson shows that there is still a real opportunity for good-paying jobs that do not require a four-year degree to build these technologies and maintain them. The book tells this story through seven "frontier" regions where new technologies have landed first. Each chapter offers a clear-eyed look at which jobs have actually materialized, which training programs and policies are working, and where education and workforce systems have struggled to keep pace. From batteries in Michigan to AI data centers in Virginia to small modular nuclear reactors in Idaho, The New American Frontier follows the projects bringing these technologies to life, the next generation of hands-on technical jobs being created, and the educational pathways into these careers. Lipson argues that to make these opportunities real, the country desperately needs renewed attention to community colleges, technical schools, and apprenticeships. She also makes the case for more companies stepping up to help train people, not just hire them. All this means rethinking what we ask of each of educators, employers, and government alike in this next chapter of the American economy. Starting from these places where economic change is already underway, Lipson offers a forward-looking agenda for how our institutions must adapt to support American workers in a new technological era.