LIVE! from the Harbor Terrace at ASU+GSV 2026 in San Diego, Mike Palmer sits down with Victoria Weinfeld, Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Sales at Edconic. In this fast-paced environment of “drinking from a fire hose,” Victoria shares the evolution of Edconic (formerly known as BrandED) and its unique mission to bridge the gap between traditional education and the future of work.
Edconic specializes in creating industry-immersive programs alongside some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Vogue, The New York Times, Sotheby’s, Manchester City, and their newest partner, Mayo Clinic. Victoria explains how these partnerships go beyond simple guest lectures; they involve co-designing curriculum with practitioners to ensure students gain the hands-on, practical skills that employers frequently find lacking in early-career workers . Whether it’s high school students touring the New York Times newsroom or master’s students graduating at a Sotheby’s auction house, the focus remains on experiential learning and building a tangible work-product portfolio . 🎓
The conversation also dives into the dominant themes of the 2026 conference, specifically the Power of Fusion and the unavoidable influence of AI. Victoria highlights how Edconic’s partners are now demanding AI exposure in curriculum to prepare students for day-one workplace expectations. We explore the strategic growth of Edconic’s portfolio and the potential for “white labeling” their expertise to help more organizations translate their brands into educational experiences. It’s a visionary look at how education and industry can deeply tie together to foster the next generation of talent 🚀.
Want more? Check out Edconic CEO Brandon Busteed’s previous appearance on Trending in Ed.
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Timestamps
- 00:00 – Introduction live from ASU+GSV in San Diego
- 01:54 – Victoria Weinfeld’s 10-year journey and the rebranding of Edconic
- 02:58 – Defining the Edconic model: Industry-immersive learning with iconic brands
- 03:52 – Highlighting powerhouse partners: Vogue, NYT, Mayo Clinic, and more
- 04:31 – Serving the learner lifecycle from pre-college to professionals
- 05:39 – The logistics of in-person, experiential access to industry facilities
- 06:55 – Bridging the “unprepared worker” gap and integrating AI exposure
- 08:52 – Strategic growth and deepening the existing brand portfolio
- 11:37 – The “Special Sauce”: Co-designing curriculum with practitioners
- 14:14 – Advice for K-12 and Higher Ed on building closer industry ties
- 17:34 – The value of rotational “taster” experiences and portfolio building
- 19:12 – Alumni success stories: From summer courses to the Washington Post
- 20:46 – Exploring future models and “white label” educational services
- 21:55 – Final takeaways: AI, Fusion, and workforce development themes
Palmer Media 2026-04-24 09:00:00
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