The College Alternative: How OpenClassrooms is Rethinking Higher Ed with Pierre Dubuc

Feb 24, 2025

Pierre Dubuc, co-founder and CEO of OpenClassrooms, leads a conversation on the future of education and job training. He discusses how degree apprenticeships are replacing traditional internships, providing students with real work experience. AI is reshaping education, enabling personalized learning and enhancing job placement. Dubuc highlights the disconnect between higher education and employment, advocating for programs that integrate education with career paths. Learn how OpenClassrooms is tackling these challenges and paving the way for accessible, career-focused learning.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 2min

Revolutionizing Education with Open Classrooms

01:36 • 15min

Transforming Education: The Rise of Apprenticeships in Higher Ed

16:50 • 3min

Apprenticeships and AI: Shaping Future Workforce Skills

19:36 • 11min

Integrating Education and Employment through AI and Quality Standards

30:31 • 5min

Rethinking Education: Value, Adaptability, and the Role of AI

35:29 • 3min

Innovating Degree Apprenticeships with AI and Personalized Learning

38:08 • 3min

Send us a text

Pierre Dubuc is the co-founder and CEO of OpenClassrooms, the leading online education platform with about 300k students a month. The school offers unlimited access to hundreds of free courses, as well as complete 100% online training programs for some of today’s most sought-after careers. OpenClassrooms' courses and learning content are produced in-house, and follow a unique pedagogy which relies on scenario-based projects and mentoring from experts in their respective fields.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How degree apprenticeships are replacing traditional internships.
Why AI is reshaping both education and job training.
What’s holding the U.S. back from scaling apprenticeships.
How OpenClassrooms integrates education with real jobs.
The future of career-focused learning and credentialing.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:02:18] Pierre Dubuc shares how OpenClassrooms evolved from an online coding hobby.
[00:04:22] The disconnect between higher ed and employment – and how to fix it.
[00:07:17] Why paid apprenticeships are more effective than internships.
[00:09:33] A real success story: From high school graduate to six-figure career.
[00:14:10] Breaking down the barriers to apprenticeship adoption in the U.S.
[00:21:36] How AI is accelerating job placement and training.
[00:29:41] AI-powered learning companions help students stay on track.
[00:34:37] OpenClassrooms is making job training count for college credit.
[00:37:18] Pierre’s vision for an integrated education-to-employment system.

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow our Podcast on:
Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor:

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.