Economic Opportunities Program Monthly Digest — September 2026

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program (EOP) advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.

We are pleased to present a selection of our work from the past month.

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Publications

• Foundational Skills: Early Insights from Employers and Providers by Chelsea Miller, UpSkill America

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Commentary

• Adult Working Learners Vote With Their Feet: What Employers Are Learning About Foundational Skills by Chelsea Miller (UpSkill America)
• Nonprofits Need Better Jobs by Bryn Morgan
• The Forgotten Goal of Labor Policy: Make Work Better by Maureen Conway, in the Federal News Network
• The Workforce of the Future Starts with Adult Basic Education by Haley Glover (UpSkill America) and Sharon Bonney (COABE)
• The US Economy Depends on Immigrant Workers. Their Job Quality Matters For Everyone. by Maxwell Johnson
• Why The U.S. Is Failing to Protect Its Most Valuable Asset: Workers by Matt Helmer, in The Hill

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Videos

“Disposable Workers: A Book Talk with MIT Sloan Professor Paul Osterman featuring Paul Osterman (author, “Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment”) and moderator Maureen Conway (Aspen Institute). Hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on September 9. Highlights:

• 35% of the Workforce is ‘Disposable’ — Paul Osterman Explains His Book Disposable Workers
• Why Worker Misclassification is a Broad-Based Issue – Paul Osterman, Disposable Workers
• Will AI Create More Disposable Workers? – Paul Osterman, Disposable Workers
• Why Employers Won’t Fix Disposable Work on Their Own – Paul Osterman, Disposable Workers

How Tax Policy Can Help Employers Expand Access to Learning, an interview featuring Chelsea Miller (Upskill America), speaks with Nick Greif (InStride) about how employers can design education benefits that are more accessible, strategic, and aligned with workforce goals.

Work and the Social Contract in the Age of AI: How did we get here? A webinar featuring Joseph Blasi (Rutgers University), Chris Hyams (Huston‑Tillotson University), Erica Smiley (Jobs with Justice), and moderator Marshall Kosloff (Niskanen Center), with opening remarks from Liba Wenig Rubenstein (Aspen Institute). Hosted by the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative on September 23. Highlights:

• AI is Forcing a New Social Contract: Who Gets to Write It? — Liba Wenig Rubenstein
• We Can Choose to Incentivize Human Labor — Chris Hyams
• Applying American founding principles to an AI-enabled economy — Joseph Blasi
• Measuring the Social Contract Beyond Wages — Erica Smiley

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Podcasts

• Disposable Workers: A Book Talk with MIT Sloan Professor Paul Osterman featuring Paul Osterman (author, “Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment”) and moderator Maureen Conway (Aspen Institute). Hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on September 9.
• How Tax Policy Can Help Employers Expand Access to Learning, an interview featuring Chelsea Miller (Upskill America), speaks with Nick Greif (InStride) about how employers can design education benefits that are more accessible, strategic, and aligned with workforce goals.
• Work and the Social Contract in the Age of AI: How did we get here? A webinar featuring Joseph Blasi (Rutgers University), Chris Hyams (Huston‑Tillotson University), Erica Smiley (Jobs with Justice), and moderator Marshall Kosloff (Niskanen Center), with opening remarks from Liba Wenig Rubenstein (Aspen Institute). Hosted by the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative on September 23.

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Newsletters

• From the Forum – Building an Ownership Culture: From the Shop Floor to the National Narrative
• Resource Roundup: Data Centers and the Workforce
• Upcoming Events – September 2026
• Monthly Digest – August 2026

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In the News

Work-Based Learning Is Helping DMV Employers Build Talent Pipeline. The Washington Business Journal and Strada Education Foundation brought together regional business and workforce leaders to discuss how work-based learning programs can strengthen talent pipelines. The conversation features insights from UpSkill America Director of Research Annelies Goger and draws on findings from Maximizing the Value of Internships, research from Strada Education Foundation developed in partnership with UpSkill America.

Upcoming Events

• October 7 — Building Economic Security: A Book Talk with Arindrajit Dube and Carrie Joy Grimes (free, online).
• October 29 – What Employee Ownership Means to Workers (free, online).

Click here to view more events.