The future of work is upon us. The way in which we work has changed substantially in recent years, due in large part to the rise of automation and contract work—areas expected to further increase in the years to come. And without intentionality, low-income workers and students could be put at a further disadvantage. 

In Developing Future Talent: How We Can Prepare for the Future of Work and Business, we provide an overview of the potential implications these emerging trends may have on the type of talent and skills businesses will need in the workforce. In addition, we have developed a set of recommendations to help policymakers, educators, and workforce development practitioners address the demands of the future economy. 

Our recommendations pull from two rounds of employer discussions in California that helped local partners understand their talent needs and consider new strategies for talent pipeline development. 

Developing the talent of the future will depend on strong work-based learning programs. In addition to this report, we’ve developed a set of briefs and a presentation deck to help engage small businesses in developing work-based learning programs.