A commentary argued that business schools must reverse a long‑standing hierarchy and place career services above academic programs to close the gap between graduate skills and employer needs. The author said career leaders have daily, direct employer intelligence and should guide curricular priorities, particularly as employers increasingly hire for competencies—digital intuition, data storytelling and AI‑enabled workflows—rather than course titles. A companion case study describes a higher‑education institution that scaled career services by integrating data systems and user experience, improving operational efficiency and student outcomes. The model highlighted measurable gains from centralized career technology, employer engagement and data‑driven advising. Trustees and deans are weighing structural options as institutions face enrollment headwinds and unprecedented pressure to demonstrate return on investment; some leaders say reorganizing to align programs with labor market demand could be a decisive strategy.