Byron Auguste

Byron Auguste, CEO of Opportunity@Work and former deputy assistant to the president for economic policy, discusses critical labor market failures, emphasizing the misplaced emphasis on college degrees. He advocates for a shift to skills-based hiring that values vocational training. The conversation unveils the complexities of the business-government relationship and explores innovative solutions in the banking system. Byron also introduces the concept of national service to address societal divides and improve job access for young people.

Byron Auguste, President and co-founder of Opportunity@Work, discusses the flaws in the U.S. labor market, particularly the over-reliance on college degrees for job qualifications. He advocates for skills-based hiring, exemplified by Maryland's removal of degree requirements for state jobs. Byron highlights the importance of on-the-job training and critiques traditional education paradigms. He also dives into why IQ might be overrated while conscientiousness is crucial, and shares insights on the impact of AI in predicting labor outcomes, urging a more inclusive approach to hiring.