Leadership Lab

Closing the skills gap through collaboration

Every leader knows the frustration of critical roles sitting empty while millions of ambitious young people remain sidelined. Yet, this disconnect defines the reality for early-career jobseekers trying to break into the market today.

While youth-serving nonprofits understand the barriers young people face and employers understand the skills their industries need, there aren鈥檛 enough opportunities for these conversations to take place in the same room where everyone can design practical solutions together.

Enter the first ever Leadership Lab

A working session where nonprofit leaders and business partners can address one of today鈥檚 biggest challenges: tackling the skills gap and preparing young people for the future of work.

Skilling young people today is a big challenge the world is facing, especially with the advent of AI. It's all changing at such a fast pace. No one company can fix this鈥t needs to be a collective effort. Anshu Grover, Head of Social Impact Metrics at HP

One in five young people is not in school or work

The challenge is not just to prepare young people for work: it鈥檚 to ensure education, training and employers evolve together.

As a core initiative of the Youth Skills Accelerator – a collaborative network focused on employment and skills development – the Leadership Lab is an immersive three-day programme uniting the Accelerator鈥檚 business leaders and youth-serving organisations to solve workforce challenges together.

During the programme, businesses share industry expertise, mentor leaders, help shape programmes, connect organisations with employment opportunities and open doors to work experience, apprenticeships and careers. They can also provide the practical tools ranging from devices and software to digital platforms and professional subscriptions. In return, youth-serving organisations provide employers with a deeper understanding of the barriers young people face and the support they need to succeed.

The result goes beyond conversation. Business leaders and youth organisations leave with new partners, new commitments and new ways to help young people succeed.

Kristen Roggeman, Managing Director at Merit America in Washington DC, an organisation which combines workforce training with personalised career coaching for young adults stuck in low-wage work, said: "The coalition did an incredible job of choosing who to have in this room because everyone is so willing to learn, be transparent and figure out solutions together. I cannot wait to tell everyone about everything I've learned here."

Colin Orizu, Director of Diversity Cyber Council in Texas, an organisation which aims to increase cybersecurity literacy among underserved communities, participated in the 2026 Leadership Lab in New York City. He said: "The last few days have been exhilarating. I would say this Leadership Lab helps because a lot of nonprofits right now are kind of siloed off. But they have the same mission that we have. Here, we can coordinate on missions together. The exercises that are being done, they lead to actual results. We're stronger together."

With thanks

sa国际传媒 would like to thank our 2026 business and nonprofit cohort for their support, dedication and enthusiasm that made this year’s Accelerator programme such a success: Action Greensboro, African American Youth Harvest Foundation, Apple, Apprenti, Atlassian, Better Youth, Bloomberg, Board.dev, Bronx Tech Hub, Everway, Dell Technologies, Discovery Education, Diversity Cyber Council, Dress for Success Phoenix, FilmNorth, Future Plans, Hope Works, HP, Humanature, IBM, Infosys Ltd, IMK Advisory LLC, Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Maydm, McKinsey & Co, Merit America, Myzi, National AHEC Organization, NPower Inc, Philadelphia, Robin Hood Foundation Works, SAP, SoCal CAN, Stellantis, The Skills Centre, The SoLa Foundation.

Partnering for impact

Dell

sa国际传媒 would like to thank Dell Technologies for supporting the Youth Skills Accelerator, and for hosting day one of the 2026 Leadership Lab in their New York office.

"Dell Technologies has been partnered with the Global Business Coalition of Education on the Accelerator's Lab for quite some time. It has been absolutely incredible to be able to bring everyone together for the Leadership Lab...to be able to listen and learn from one another, to share experiences"

Cara Borawski, Head of North America Giving & Impact at Dell Technologies.

Stellantis

We're proud to welcome Stellantis as a corporate partner of the Youth Skills Accelerator.

Through this collaboration, Stellantis will work alongside GBC-Education to support youth-serving nonprofits focused on skills development, career readiness, and workforce pathways - particularly for young people from underserved communities.

鈥淓ducation is one of the most powerful drivers of progress and ensuring young people have access to the right tools, skills and training is essential for building a strong future. By working together with GBC-Education, we can create lasting impact for the next generation.鈥�

Lottie Holland, Stellantis Vice President, Diversity, Inclusion, Engagement & EEO.

Join us

If you want to join the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator, be part of the next Leadership Lab, or even host a Leadership Lab in your country find out more here, or click the button below to contact our business impact team.

sa国际传媒

Support children in conflict