The college-to-career pipeline is broken, and the best way to fix it is to give students more latitude in choosing their own work-based learning experiences, says Jane Swift, president of Education at Work and former governor of Massachusetts, on the latest University Business Podcast.

"There's a lot to be upset about our colleges and universities, but to expect them to be able to do something that the private sector themselves aren't doing successfully—early career talent training—is unfair."

While a few young people can afford to take an unpaid internship, most college students must work while in school, stripping them of the opportunity to gain critical career experience. Whether it be a job around town or a federal work-study program, working students are often left working odd jobs with little parallel to their career aspirations, Swift says.