Tom Brunskill
Cofounder, Forage
Tom Brunskill is the co-founder and CEO of Forage, a job simulation platform that helps students bridge the gap between education and work opportunities. On a mission to make education-to-workforce pathway more equitable, Tom co-founded Forage in 2017 to provide the ability to preskill through virtual job simulations produced by the world’s top companies, including J.P. Morgan, Lyft and Walmart, to name a few. By breaking down barriers to gaining workplace-specific skills, Tom hopes to level the opportunity playing field and empower anyone to pursue their dream career. Tom started his career as a corporate lawyer at a multinational law firm in Australia before moving to San Francisco and has been featured in Business Insider, Financial Times and TechCrunch, among others.
Integrating Work Experiences into the Classroom: Ensuring Student Readiness Amid Hiring Uncertainty
As companies navigate global and technological shifts, including the impact of generative AI, early talent hiring remains cautious. Now more than ever, universities must collaborate with employers to develop alternative, scalable pathways to equip students with real-world skills.
Liz Zulick, Senior Vice Chancellor for Education Innovation at Northeastern University, leads experiential learning across Northeastern University and is pioneering new employer collaborations that provide a spectrum of engagement opportunities—ranging from classroom-based projects to hybrid and on-site experiences. These models are designed to align with employer needs while accelerating students’ professional readiness.
This panel will explore how these innovations create continuous, hands-on learning opportunities, ensuring students gain meaningful work experience throughout their academic journey—experience that directly impacts industry and addresses evolving workforce needs.
