Career High

On Career High, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Charlie Zimmerman, Principal of Metamora Township High School in Illinois, to explore how high schools can prepare students for real careers before they graduate. Charlie shares how Metamora’s long-standing commitment to Career and Technical Education (CTE) gives students hands-on exposure to industries like manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, e...

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Kristy Cleppe, Principal of Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf, Iowa, to explore what it takes to build strong career connected learning inside a traditional high school. Kristy shares her non traditional path into education. She began her career as a financial analyst with degrees in accounting and business administration before m...

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Mitch Gross, Principal of Iowa City West High School in the Iowa City Community School District. Mitch shares how his career started in politics and government before he made the jump into teaching, then leadership. He also breaks down how West High is balancing a highly rigorous academic culture with growing demand for internships, tra...

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith talks with Brad Jones, Principal of Seaman High School in the Seaman School District near Topeka, Kansas. Brad shares what makes Seaman feel like a small town inside a large school, and how the district builds career connected learning through hands-on programs, internships, and real world partnerships. Brad explains that Seaman is a blue collar, h...

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Christopher Carter, Principal of Northside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, about what it takes to build a school where students belong, thrive, and graduate with real options. Chris reflects on 30 years in education (27 as an administrator) and the leadership lessons that shaped his approach, especially the idea that schools improve faste...

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Jeff Linden, Principal of Hastings High School in Hastings, Nebraska, to explore what career-connected learning looks like in a practical, community-driven district. Jeff introduces Hastings as a blue-collar town of about 25,000 that supports three high schools, with Hastings High serving as the flagship campus in a district that includes f...

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Brian Riddick, Principal of Butler College Prep in Chicago and a founding staff member of the Noble Schools campus. Brian shares his 13-year journey at Butler, from founding English teacher to launching the school’s college team, and how that experience shaped his approach to helping students connect high school, college, and long-term careers...

On NO ENTRY Level by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Peter Ngai, Vice President of Engineering at SnapLogic, to unpack how early career talent is changing in an AI-powered world. Peter shares why roles like “architect” don’t really have an entry-level version and why accumulated wisdom, cross-functional collaboration, and business context matter as much as technical skill. Jeremy and Peter...

On NO ENTRY Level, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Adam Hopson, COO of Flyhomes, about what it takes to build early career talent in a world where AI is rapidly eliminating traditional entry level grunt work and remote or hybrid work is removing the in office learning that used to shape new hires. Adam shares how Flyhomes helps everyday buyers purchase a new home before selling their current one, ma...

In the very first episode of  NO ENTRY Level Podcast, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Ira Zlotowitz, Co Founder and CEO of GPARENCY and founder of Avery, to unpack how AI and automation are changing commercial real estate finance and what it now means to hire early career talent. Ira shares the journey from building a top ten commercial mortgage brokerage at Eastern Union to launching GPARENCY's...