In this episode of the Talent Labs Podcast EdTech Insights Series, we’re joined by Sach Siriwardane, former Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships at Guild Education, who helped lead Guild’s groundbreaking collaboration with Team USA to support Olympic and Paralympic athletes in their education and career transitions.

Sach shares an insider perspective on what makes partnerships truly work — from aligning missions to navigating challenges in a rapidly shifting EdTech landscape. We unpack how Guild built partnerships that scaled access, improved learner outcomes, and shaped the future of upskilling.

You’ll hear about:

* The story behind Guild’s partnership with the U.S. Olympic team

* Why education benefits often fail — and how Guild reimagined them

* What defines a “true” partnership in the EdTech ecosystem

* The future of upskilling, workforce learning, and cross-sector collaboration

Whether you work in higher ed, workforce development, or EdTech strategy, this conversation offers practical lessons on building impactful, mission-driven partnerships.

Guest: Sach Siriwardane began his career in consulting, before joining Guild, a (now) Series-F EdTech unicorn, where he worked across go-to-market and strategic partnerships teams. During that time, he helped secure enterprise clients, shape commercial strategy, and support impact-oriented growth. Most recently, he completed his MBA at Oxford and will be joining an early-stage AI startup to help lead their GTM work in EMEA.

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