The Future of Work Is Now — Why Global Leaders Must Be in the Room

By Justin W. Aglio, Ed.D.

When Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood premiered in 1968, it didn’t open with spectacle. It opened with sincerity and a quiet commitment to change. From the very first episode, Fred Rogers reminded us that real progress rarely begins with noise. It begins with intention.

For Rogers, change wasn’t something to fear; it was essential. He believed growth, understanding, and innovation all began with the courage to see the world differently.

“Things are always changing,” he once said. “You can be a part of that change.”

More than fifty years later, we’re facing a different kind of change: fast, global, and fueled by artificial intelligence, automation, and seismic shifts in how we live, learn, and work. The future of work is no longer theoretical. It’s happening now. And the question confronting every leader, organization, and system is simple:

Will we lead the change or be led by it?

According to the World Economic Forum, over 1 billion jobs will be transformed by technology in the next decade. More than 50% of all workplace skills are expected to shift within just a few years. And yet, our core systems—education, workforce development, and community infrastructure—remain anchored in outdated frameworks that no longer serve the realities of a modern economy.

At the same time, the next generation is bursting with untapped potential. Young people have bold ideas and limitless creativity; but too often, they’re held back by systems that haven’t kept pace with the world around them.

This is why we created The Global Impact Forum (TGIF).

Taking place November 3–5, 2025, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, TGIF is not an AI conference. It’s a conference of impact. We invite leaders across sectors to join this urgent conversation.

The 2025 theme, “Workforce Readiness in the Age of AI and Automation” is a direct response to the moment we’re in. It challenges leaders across sectors to move beyond trend analysis and begin building systems that prepare people not just for the next job, but for meaningful, resilient, purpose-driven careers in a constantly changing world.

Because the greatest risk isn’t the technology itself. It’s what happens when we fail to adapt our leadership, our thinking, and our systems.

We can either lead with purpose – or be disrupted by forces that don’t reflect our values or understand our responsibility to society.

TGIF brings together global changemakers from education, industry, government, philanthropy, investment, and community to align around a shared commitment: building a future of work that is human-centered, opportunity-driven, and built to last.

It’s a space for leaders who understand that:

• Alignment matters. Scalable change doesn’t happen in isolation—it demands strategy, structure, and shared vision.
• Courage counts. Transformation requires bold boards, visionary funders, and long-game thinking.
• Community drives progress. The best solutions are built with people, not for them.

At TGIF, these principles become practice. Where boardrooms meet classrooms. Where capital meets commitment. Where ideas turn into impact.

You’ll hear from Fortune 500 executives reimagining hiring in the age of AI, youth leaders pushing for ethical innovation, and cross-sector coalitions turning policy into real-world solutions.

And if you’re not in the room? You miss the conversations shaping the next economy. You miss the partnerships, policies, and purpose-driven innovations that will define the next decade and beyond.

Because this isn’t just about jobs or technology. It’s about the future of dignity, direction, and possibility for every person, in every community.

The future of work isn’t something we observe. It’s something we build—together.

Justin W. Aglio, Ed.D., serves as the associate vice president for Penn State Outreach and executive director of the Readiness Institute at Penn State. With more than twenty years of teaching and administrative experience in the public and higher education sectors, Aglio is dedicated to learner success through enabling education, industry, and community partners for future careers and civic contribution.