About the Systems Workforce Summit
A high-level, international forum bringing together leadership from industry, academia, government and professional organisations.
Purpose of the Summit
The Systems Workforce Summit is a curated, leadership-level forum addressing one of the defining challenges behind technological progress: the availability of systems-competent professionals capable of realizing increasingly complex, software-defined systems.
The Summit is designed to align perspectives, stimulate strategic dialogue and contribute to shared directions for action across industry, education, policy and professional communities.
System Workforces - Summit Baseline Definition
System Workforces evaluate stakeholder needs for transformational initiatives or market opportunities, develop system requirements, architectures, and implementation plans with performance, cost, risk, and schedule estimates, business and regulatory options, and iterate with stakeholders to decide upon go-ahead for the implementation of agreed plans.
They integrate multi-disciplinary skills, select suitable technologies, generate design solutions, digital twins and prototypes, and coordinate manufacturing, testing, verification, market and service implementations for life-long updates.
“End-to-end” life-cycle management of programs/projects which include business, engineering, risk, sustainability, and more are core system workforce skills for realizing successful products. and services.
A curated leadership dialogue
The Summit is intentionally designed as a high-level platform:
- participation is limited to enable meaningful exchange;
- sessions focus on strategic implications rather than technical depth;
- the program emphasizes dialogue, synthesis and alignment across sectors.
Rather than a conference or training event, the Systems Workforce Summit serves as a strategic meeting place for leaders shaping innovation ecosystems and workforce development at scale.
Building on earlier work
The 2026 edition builds on the first Systems Workforce Summit held in 2024 and the insights captured in the accompanying white paper Building the Systems Workforce of the Future.
Together, these initiatives form part of a broader, ongoing effort to:
Elevate systems competencies on international agendas;
Connect policy, industry and education perspectives;
Support long-term, coherent approaches to workforce development;
Organisation
The Systems Workforce Summit is organised by:
By working together, the organizing partners create a platform that connects perspectives from industry, academia, professional organizations, and policy – enabling meaningful dialogue and contributing to shared solutions.
Who should participate
The Summit is intended for senior professionals and decision-makers with responsibility for innovation strategy, systems development, education, workforce policy, and large-scale programs.
Participants are typically involved in shaping long-term direction, governance, and cross-sector alignment rather than operational execution.
System professionals and students are also welcome to engage and learn from the debates and discussions with the leaders in the field. We do want to encourage participation beyond the invited!
Previous edition
The 2026 edition marks the second Systems Workforce Summit, building on the inaugural event held in 2024.The first edition brought together a carefully selected group of international leaders, establishing a shared understanding of the urgency and complexity of the systems workforce challenge. It created a strong foundation for continued dialogue and collaboration.
In 2026, the summit builds on this momentum – deepening the conversation, expanding its international reach and strengthening its focus on long-term alignment and impact.
