Ambassador Shea Gopaul and Planet Classroom Explore How AI Can Create Decent Jobs--Fast and Fair

New AI for a Better World episode maps quick wins, apprenticeships, and green/blue skills for the future of work.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A Reality Check—And a Roadmap

Planet Classroom's original series AI for a Better World today released "Ambassador Shea Gopaul: AI and the Future of Decent Work" , a focused conversation on how artificial intelligence can deliver visible job gains quickly and fairly—especially for vulnerable workers, small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the informal economy.

Ambassador Shea Gopaul is the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), Founder of GAN Global, and Co-Chair of the UN Business & Industry Major Group, representing more than 50 million companies in over 150 countries.

"People want to know where AI can make work better—now, not ten years from now," said C. M. (Cathy) Rubin, Co-Founder & CEO of Planet Classroom and host of AI for a Better World. "In this episode, Ambassador Gopaul spotlights early wins—from automating routine admin to smarter job matching and skills forecasting—while insisting that fairness, inclusion, and human rights stay at the center."

Across the episode, Gopaul connects AI innovation to concrete policy and practice: new apprenticeship models for the AI economy, pooled training for SMEs, safeguards that protect workers, and the "green and blue" skills missing from most national climate plans.

"Jobs and skills are the bridge between AI innovation and the 2030 goals," Rubin said. "If we want decent work at scale, we need access, equity, and clear guardrails—and we need them now."

Gopaul begins with a stark reality: 2.5 to 2.6 billion people—around 35% of the world's population—still lack access to the internet, and many countries face chronic gaps in electricity, devices, and basic education. She notes that women and girls remain underrepresented in STEM, and that AI models themselves demand significant energy.

Despite these barriers, she argues that AI can already deliver "quick wins" if deployed wisely.Key Insights from AI and the Future of Decent Work

1. Quick Wins: Where AI Helps Now
The episode highlights early, tangible gains where AI can improve speed, cost, and coverage without displacing human judgment:

• Administrative automation that frees up time in health, education, and public services.
  
  
• Job matching and skills forecasting that help workers, especially youth, connect to real opportunities faster.

Gopaul emphasizes that these tools are promising—but only if coupled with clear governance and inclusion.

2. Earn-and-Learn Models for the AI Economy
Drawing on her work with GAN Global, Gopaul describes how apprenticeships are evolving:

• Moving beyond traditional 2–3 year programs to shorter 3–6 month apprenticeships focused on real workplace coaching.
  
  
• Hybrid and online models where mentors and learners can connect remotely.
  
  
• Stackable micro-credentials that build portable skills pathways over time.
  
  
• Pooled apprenticeships for SMEs, where industry cohorts share training so small firms can participate without carrying all the costs alone.
  
  
• New models that link apprenticeships to associate degrees, so learners earn, learn, and advance simultaneously.

She also underlines the role of multinationals in training more apprentices than they can hire—for example, preparing extra candidates who then move into their supply chains—so that large and small employers grow skills together

3. Safeguards That Build Trust in AI at Work
Gopaul stresses that AI must be anchored in decent work principles:

• Clear risk ownership from design to deployment—who is accountable, and for what.
  
  
• Practical governance blueprints with KPIs to monitor fairness, privacy, and impact.
  
  
• Multi-stakeholder partnerships that include governments, business associations, SMEs, workers, and vendors—not just large tech firms.
  
  
• Simple, transparent communication to employees and employers about how AI tools are used.
  
  
• Independent third-party audits to verify that systems respect human rights and decent work standards.

4. What Scales vs. What to Sunset
Gopaul calls for a shift from scattered pilots to employer-aligned, demand-driven programs that:

• Start with what employers actually need and are ready to hire for.
  
  
• Use pooled funding models and multi-year financing so programs don't vanish when grants end.
  
  
• Measure outcomes with real data—not just enrollment numbers.
  
  
• Elevate "human skills" (collaboration, lifelong learning, problem-finding) as essential alongside technical skills.

5. Green/Blue Skills and the Informal Economy
On climate and skills, Gopaul notes that fewer than 40% of countries currently include skills and skills development in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for climate action—a gap she calls "a serious risk."

She outlines priorities to close it:

• Hard-wiring green and blue skills into climate plans and funding.
  
  
• Recognizing prior learning for older workers and migrants so talent isn't wasted.
  
  
• Supporting SMEs and the informal economy, where an estimated 60% of global jobs are informal (and up to 90% in some regions).
  
  
• Simplifying regulation, reducing barriers to formalization, and combining wage subsidies, levies, and pooled funds so employers can genuinely invest in upskilling.

"AI can support decent work, but only if we align it with skills, social protection, and inclusive governance," said Ambassador Gopaul. "If we want to move on sustainability and bring people out of poverty, we need to create jobs, recognize skills, and make sure no one is left behind."

Watch "Ambassador Shea Gopaul: AI and the Future of Decent Work" now on Planet Classroom's official channels.

About the Host: C. M. (Cathy) Rubin

C. M. (Cathy) Rubin is a multimedia producer, journalist, and author covering AI, education, and innovation. She is Co-Founder and CEO of Planet Classroom and Founder of CMRubinWorld, where she has published over 800 interviews and articles on the future of work and global learning with the world's thought leaders.

About Ambassador Shea Gopaul

Ambassador Shea Gopaul is the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and Founder of GAN Global. She co-chairs the UN Business & Industry Major Group and has led global efforts to advance apprenticeships, decent work, and skills for a sustainable economy.

The Planet Classroom Network, produced by CMRubinWorld, is a global platform that unites creators, youth, and thought leaders to explore the most important issues of our time. Through series like AI for a Better World, Net Zero Speaks, and Problem Solvers, Planet Classroom showcases bold ideas in education, sustainability, and innovation—created for and with youth.

SOURCE Planet Classroom Network