Introducing the Industry Futures Forums

At the Future of Workers Initiative, we’re excited to launch the Industry Futures Forums—a hybrid program designed to bring together and empower workers across sectors.  Through virtual learning cohorts, pop-up salons, strategy bootcamps, and innovation labs, the program fosters deep connections, relationships, and information to equip workers to navigate emerging trends in their industries. Whether through intimate discussions or collaborative projects, the Industry Futures Forums brings together passionate professionals across white and blue collar work to share insights, strengthen networks, and shape the future of work.

The Forums consist of:

• Industry-specific learning cohorts: will bring together small cross-company cohorts to share insights, challenges, and opportunities. These virtual roundtables will explore future trends and support peer-to-peer learning.
• Pop-up innovation salons: quarterly in-person events in key cities, bringing together industry professionals from white and blue collar industries to network and hear from innovators on the future of work.
• Foresight & strategy bootcamps: Interactive, virtual bootcamps focused on helping workers anticipate and strategize around industry disruptions, emerging technologies, and market shifts.
• Digital innovation lab: An online platform where workers can collaborate on solving real-time industry challenges and engage in strategy hackathons around new technologies and trends.
• Emerging trends micro-conferences: Hybrid micro-conferences featuring short, focused panels on industry-specific topics, with opportunities for participants to discuss and strategize in smaller breakout groups.
• Innovation circles: Monthly virtual think tanks where workers tackle specific industry trends, work on reports or white papers, and collaborate to shape the future of their sectors.

From Forums to Stories
Insights and stories from our Forums will inform The Human Interface project and our podcast — helping workers in other industries learn from one another.

We’re also piloting local Industry Futures Circles in New York’s District 12 as a “future of work lab” — connecting local workers across sectors to share what they’re seeing and what they need.

 Apply to Join a Forum by filling out the contact form below or emailing: iam@thefutureofworkers.org.