Handshake launches first AI Skills Studio to prepare job seekers for the AI economy

Free, hands-on projects developed with Clay, Figma, Gamma, Google, Lovable, Notion, OpenAI, Replit, Salesforce, Southern New Hampshire University, and Vercel to help people build and showcase practical AI experience

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Handshake, the career network for the AI economy, today launched AI Skills Studio, a free learning hub where job seekers can build practical AI skills through hands-on projects created with some of the world's leading AI companies and employers.

AI Skills Studio offers personalized, project-based "missions" that take between 10 and 45 minutes to complete. Learners work in the AI tools used by practitioners, with an AI Skills Instructor providing guidance and feedback along the way. Every mission ends with something tangible the learner has built, from an automated workflow to a working piece of software. Early users have built everything from interactive games and data dashboards to personal portfolios and tools that prepare them for roles in sales and marketing.

Completed projects can be added to a learner's Handshake profile and featured in the AI Showcase, putting their work in front of more than one million employers that use Handshake to find talent. Learners also receive a verified skill badge, giving employers evidence of applied AI ability.

"AI is changing work so quickly that we can't afford to wait until we have it all figured out," said Julia Stiglitz, Chief Education and Workforce Officer at Handshake. "The best thing people can do is start learning and start building. Handshake is in a unique position to make that possible at scale, working with some of the world's leading AI companies to help job seekers develop the skills employers need and connect those skills directly to employment."

The launch comes as Handshake research points to growing demand for AI preparation alongside academic learning. In Handshake's 2026 Network Trends Report, 58% of graduating seniors say they will need a stronger understanding of AI to succeed at work, but only 28% say AI has been meaningfully integrated into their education program. With AI tools and workplace expectations changing quickly, students and institutions need flexible, career-connected ways to complement existing curricula.

AI Skills Studio launches with partners spanning frontier AI, enterprise technology, go-to-market work and software creation, and schools including Clay, Figma, Gamma, Google, Lovable, Notion, OpenAI, Replit, Salesforce, Southern New Hampshire University, and Vercel.

"AI fluency is essential to career readiness, and reducing the capability gap can accelerate opportunity for students and early-career professionals," said Brian Johnsrud, Head of Education Engagement at OpenAI. "Together with Handshake, anyone can use ChatGPT and Codex for engaging, real-world projects to learn agentic ways of working and acquire tangible proof and durable skills."

"At Google, we believe that everyone should have access to high-quality training to gain in-demand skills to help them succeed," said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. "We're proud to partner with Handshake on AI Skills Studio to help students and job seekers build hands-on experience with Google AI tools and workflows, empowering learners to showcase their work and grow their careers."

For employers, AI Skills Studio creates a more direct way to evaluate emerging skills. By connecting learning, demonstrated work and hiring in one place, employers can see how candidates apply AI rather than relying solely on what they write on their résumés.

"Employers know they need people who can work effectively with AI, but a résumé can't tell you what someone is truly capable of," said Jon Stull, Chief Operating Officer at Handshake. "AI Skills Studio gives job seekers a way to build that evidence, and gives employers more to go on when deciding who to hire."

AI Skills Studio builds on Handshake's acquisition of Uplimit, the AI-native learning company founded by Stiglitz. Uplimit's project-based learning technology and methodology now power an experience connected to Handshake's job seeker, education and employer network.

AI Skills Studio is available from today for free on the Handshake website and mobile app. Explore the launch missions here.

About Handshake
Handshake is the career network for the AI economy. Its three-sided marketplace connects more than 30 million job seekers, 1,600 educational institutions and one million employers, bringing career discovery, skill-building and hiring into one network. Handshake helps people develop and demonstrate the capabilities required as work changes, while giving employers better signals about what candidates can do. Through Handshake AI, the company also connects leading AI labs and enterprises with the expert talent helping develop and evaluate advanced AI systems. Learn more at joinhandshake.com.

SOURCE Handshake