🎓 HE Credentials among freelancers. US HHS leads in R&D funding. Autonomous tech reshapes workplaces.

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XALTER to upskill energy workforce with seed funding. Brown university to strengthen construction workforce in Rhode Islands. Molina Healthcare expands home health workforce. Philippines to upskill digital workforce.

Google partnered with MSDE, Centurion University, and Wadhwani AI to bring AI solutions to education and skilling in India. Microsoft partners with SABC to provide free AI training. Great Minds and Renaissance partner to integrate curriculum content with assessment and classroom tools.

In today's newsletter:

🎓 Higher education. Higher education prevalence among freelancers
⚕️ Health skills. HHS R&D funding is second only to defense spending
🏭 Advanced manufacturing. Autonomous technology is set to change modern workplaces

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🎓 Higher education prevalence among freelancers

In 2023, nearly 80% of freelance workers held a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, signalling that highly educated professionals are increasingly choosing freelancing for flexibility, autonomy, as a side hustle and access to global demand for specialised skills. This also portrays a shift away from graduates choosing more traditional forms of employment. However, the intense competition within the job market, which has created a lack of jobs, has also fueled this shift. Digital platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr have contributed to remote work normalisation. The industry still faces challenges in replicating long term employee security, employment benefit distribution and job security, and oversupply for a limited demand. 

⚕️ HHS R&D funding is second only to defense spending

HHS requested over $50B in R&D funding for FY2025, nearly 6% increase from the previous year, primarily through NIH, accounting for all funding of basic research. Recent research breakthroughs include progress in cervical cancer research, Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, Perinatal Quality Collaboratives infrastructure, community health worker interventions, and doula-clinician models. However, critical areas demand attention, such as maternal mortality, mental health, rural healthcare infrastructure, and system-wide improvements that enable more access to the healthcare system.

🏭 Autonomous technology is set to change modern workplaces

Robots and autonomous systems emerged as leaders in workplace transformation in 2025, with over 540K factory robot units globally. Integration accelerated through AI-driven learning and natural language interfaces, as companies use automation for mass scaling and output maximisation. Humanoid robot development gathered momentum as companies like Tesla ventured into the industry with Optimus, aiming for widespread use of humanoid robots. However, high costs remain a key barrier to mass accessibility, with more companies venturing into the robot market with high demand. 

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