# The First Mile Sandbox

Connecting universities and employers for the next generation of talent


## Context

Artificial intelligence and automation are transforming work faster than education and labour systems can adapt. Entry- and mid-level roles that once helped people transition from learning into employment are being reshaped or eliminated, even as employers struggle to find talent with the skills required for the AI era. At the same time, demographic and economic pressures are intensifying these challenges. Over the next decade, 1.2 billion young people will enter labour markets in developing economies, while many advanced economies face persistent talent shortages and ageing workforces.


### The Initiative

The Learning to Earning Sandbox is a new World Economic Forum initiative launching at the Annual Meeting 2026. It brings together universities, employers, and governments to co-design partnership models that integrate learning with earning—preparing individuals for the changing nature of work while helping businesses close capability gaps and economies build resilient talent pipelines. The Sandbox builds on proven approaches such as work-integrated degrees, apprenticeship-style programmes, micro-credentials, and virtual or cross-border internships, while also supporting the development of new models that more directly connect education and employment. Through the initiative, the Forum will convene employers, universities, and policy partners across regions and industries to develop, test, and scale learn-to-earn collaborations, and to distil a shared set of practical insights and recommendations to support broader adoption.


## How we are creating impact


### Piloting new partnerships that directly connect skills development, work experience and jobs


### Identifying and scaling leading models of paid, work-integrated learning


### Building a shared global framework linking education and work for the AI era


## Forum Insights


## Featured Content

### How AI is Changing Early Careers: A View from Entry-Level Workers

Jan 2026

[Read more](https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Briefing_AI_and_Entry-Level_Jobs_January_2026.pdf)