Talent turnover is accelerating, technology is reshaping roles, and the gap between what workers expect and what employers are offering is widening. But what if the solutions employers need are closer than they think?

The Thurston County Chamber invites business leaders, educators, workforce partners, and students to the 2026 Future of Work Summit, a half-day event exploring how employers, educators, and community partners are responding to a workforce environment that continues to evolve.

The Future of Work Summit is the region's convening to examine how work is evolving, challenge assumptions, and surface practical solutions that help employers respond to workforce realities in real time. Attendees will also have opportunities for streamlined connection to education, workforce, and community partners through an integrated Workforce Solutions Expo.

For Businesses

Attendees will have opportunities to:

• Gain outside perspectives on hiring and retention practices that you may not get from within your own industry or local community.
• Walk away knowing what other employers are successfully implementing to solve the staffing challenges you may be facing.
• Build connections with education and workforce partners who are ready to work with you to make it happen.

For Students and Educators

Attendees will have opportunities to:

• Build relationships with the decision-makers influencing the career pathways students and job seekers will enter.
• Get a firsthand look at the challenges employers are currently trying to solve. 
• Share what's working, challenge what's not, and leave having moved the conversation forward.