The NewAmerican Frontier

“America's successful economic future depends on us to rethink education, training, and employment. The old playbooks are no longer enough. As technology reshapes work, this book asks the right questions about how we build, invest in, and scale pathways to opportunity. A thoughtful, practical roadmap for the future of talent in the future of work.”

Jared Polis

Governor of Colorado

“The best education systems on the planet are the ones that prepare people not just for the world that exists today, but for the changes still to come. Ours should be no different. This book shows what it will take for American education to lead in the key technologies of the future, while ensuring everyone can share in the opportunities those technologies create. Anyone working in federal or state education policy should have it on their shelf.”

Arne Duncan

Former US secretary of education

“Rachel Lipson draws on her wide-ranging research and experience with this important book that provides concrete and helpful answers to the most important question our economy faces today: How can we better prepare people for work in a rapidly changing economy?”

Jason Furman

Former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers

“We urgently need a federal workforce strategy to develop talent in the age of AI, and this important and timely book is an excellent roadmap for getting there.”

David Deming

Dean of Harvard College

“Rachel Lipson elevates the collaborative work essential for navigating the new American frontier. Her book is insightful and invaluable, offering clear-eyed case studies on the deep, multi-sector partnerships and reimagined policies needed for community colleges to connect their students to transformational careers in rapidly evolving tech sectors.”

Anne M. Kress

President, Northern Virginia Community College

“Integrating work and learning is at the heart of transforming AI-influenced talent systems that drive America’s economic and social progress. Rachel Lipson’s breakthrough work vividly shows not only how this is happening in local and state contexts, but why it is essential to our future well-being as a nation.”

Jamie Merisotis

President and CEO, Lumina Foundation

“In an era defined by rapid technological change, the central question is no longer whether new jobs will emerge—but who will be prepared to do them. The New American Frontier takes readers inside the communities building that answer, from semiconductor fabs and quantum labs to battery plants and biotech hubs. Through vivid case studies, Rachel Lipson shows how a new workforce model is taking shape—grounded in real employer demand and driven by partnerships among industry, policymakers, and, critically, community colleges. Community colleges are the star of the show, as they should be. These institutions are becoming the connective tissue between individuals, communities, and opportunity, opening pathways to good jobs and community prosperity. Clear-eyed about the challenges yet deeply optimistic, this book offers a compelling blueprint for ensuring the next economy expands opportunity, not inequality—and for building a workforce ready to power America’s future.”

Ted Mitchell

President, American Council on Education

“Most writing about AI and work is forecasting. Rachel Lipson went to see for herself. Across seven regions building the backbone of the new economy, she finds where new jobs are being created and where people are figuring out, in real time, how to train for them. She's honest about what's working and what's not. And the hope she offers is specific and grounded. This book is a rallying cry for us all to act, so that in the age of AI, more people can access more opportunity and mobility than ever before.”

Aneesh Raman

Chief economic opportunity officer, LinkedIn

“The New American Frontier offers important insights for how the U.S. can build critical talent pipelines to support next‑gen industries. Drawing on real‑world examples like Arizona’s rapid semiconductor growth, the book provides a deeply researched roadmap for driving national industrial growth and expanding economic opportunity for Americans.”

Sandra Watson

President and CEO, Arizona Commerce Authority

“This book is the key to ensuring America wins the global AI race and the benefits reach all Americans. The United States will need tens of millions of workers who can tailor AI for specific industries, build and maintain the infrastructure to keep it running, and quickly fix problems that arise. Rachel Lipson has written the recipe for how to upskill the nation at warp speed.”

Heather Long

Economic influencer and chief economist, Navy Federal Credit Union