Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how the emerging new economy is impacting the future of human capital development and the future of work. Design/methodology/approach: A detailed review of the literature is used to profile the changing nature of work and work requirements in the emerging new economy. Recent trends and developments in human capital development and advancements in computer-enhanced performanceware are combined with components of the traditional apprenticeship model. The resulting silicon-based apprenticeship model is compared and contrasted with models of formal education, training, and apprenticeship. Findings: The fast-paced new economy is demanding greater performance from ever-greater percentages of the world's population. New forms of hypercompetition demand the elimination of the long lead-times that have traditionally existed between learning and doing. The proffered silicon-based apprenticeship model is advanced as a development that is projected to jump-start twenty-first century learner/performers into on-demand, world-class, performance. Research limitations/implications: Speculative literature directed at the future of new economy work and workers is not cohesively linked to the literature of electronic performance enhancement, learning theory, and advancements in technology. This paper advances an approach for accelerating work performance and human capital development that may instigate future research in this area. Practical implications: This paper identifies the value of greatly accelerating the performance of workers in the emerging new economy, while simultaneously decreasing the existing time lag between learning and performance. Social implications: The ability to involve more individuals in the emerging new economy promises to increase both quality of life and standard of living for greater percentages of the global population. Originality/value: The author asserts that silicon-based apprenticeships are a necessary next step toward engaging more of the world's population in the new economy. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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