Jobs for the Future and Aon to Convene Global Leaders at WEF26 on Swiss Workforce Models and Scalable Re-Skilling Strategies
High-level convening will explore how Swiss apprenticeship and training systems can inform employer-led re-skilling efforts in the United States
BOSTON, January 20, 2026 – Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit that drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems, and Aon, a leading global professional services firm, will convene global leaders today at the House of Switzerland in Davos for a session focused on Swiss-inspired workforce strategies.
“Switzerland has built a system where employers lead, pathways remain flexible, and workers can adapt as technology and the economy changes,” said Maria Flynn, president and CEO of Jobs for the Future. “Partnering with Aon allows us to bring those lessons into practical focus for U.S. employers and workers, and to test approaches that help people move into quality jobs as the economy evolves.”
The closed-door session, “Transatlantic Talent Strategies: Swiss Insights for Re-Skilling America,” is co-hosted by JFF, Aon, and the Swiss Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI). It will examine how Switzerland’s dual education and apprenticeship system—built on employer leadership, permeability, and “no dead ends”—has fueled economic mobility and job readiness, and what lessons U.S. leaders can take back to build stronger, skills-first systems.
The session marks the first public convening in JFF and Aon’s growing strategic collaboration to expand skills-first, apprenticeship-driven talent strategies and quality jobs in the U.S. and globally. This collaboration builds on shared priorities around employer engagement, skills-based hiring, and workforce resilience.
“AI is impacting every industry and the leaders of the future are making smart, early investments to help their employees – especially those early in their careers – learn and develop alongside technology,” said Bridget Gainer, global head of Public Affairs & Policy for Aon. “Employer-led apprenticeships offer a powerful model for developing the skills needed to stay relevant in a complex and fast-moving global economy.”
Opening remarks will be delivered by Maria Flynn, president and CEO of JFF, and closing remarks will be provided by Callista Gingrich, U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland, delivering her first public remarks in this role. The speaker lineup also includes:
- Dr. Martina Hirayama, Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research, and Innovation
- Dr. Katie Caves, Director of CEMETS and Chair of Education Systems, ETH Zurich
- Bridget Gainer, Global Head of Public Affairs & Policy, Aon
- Sarah Steinberg, Global Public Policy Partnerships, LinkedIn
“At a moment when leaders in Davos are asking how to translate technological progress into shared prosperity, Switzerland reminds us that systems matter,” said Vinz Koller, vice president of the Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning at Jobs for the Future. “By bringing U.S. and Swiss leaders together, we’re focused on building employer-driven, accessible reskilling systems that connect people to real opportunity.”
The convening aligns with the World Economic Forum’s Reskilling Revolution and puts job quality at the center of the future-of-work conversation. According to the American Job Quality Survey, nearly 6 in 10 U.S. workers do not hold a quality job—defined by economic stability, advancement potential, and a supportive work environment. As AI transforms industries, reskilling must connect people to jobs that offer true quality- not just more training for low-wage roles. Switzerland’s apprenticeship model offers a blueprint for how well-designed pathways can deliver on that promise.
In addition to the joint convening with Aon, Maria Flynn is scheduled to represent Jobs for the Future at several high-level sessions during the World Economic Forum, where she will continue to highlight the role of employer leadership, job quality, and equitable reskilling in the age of AI. Flynn will also speak at the WEF panel “Bridging Learning and Work: Reimagining Talent Readiness for the New Economy” and will join tomorrow’s “Jobs, Growth and Geoeconomics” session alongside the CEOs of LinkedIn, Randstad, and other leaders.
For more information about JFF’s work and its presence at the 2026 World Economic Forum, visit https://houseofswitzerland.org/events.
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About Jobs for the Future (JFF)
JFF transforms U.S. education and workforce systems to drive economic success for people, businesses, and communities. www.jff.org
About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.
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