🛠️ Skills and Workforce #45

Hello 👋

Global labor markets underwent a significant recalibration this week. A historic downward revision of US job data, cutting 911,000 positions, revealed weaker hiring momentum, coinciding with job seekers outnumbering openings for the first time since 2021. While the OECD unemployment rate held steady at 4.9%, a youth unemployment rate of 11.2% underscores persistent structural challenges, driving increased adoption of AI-driven recruitment tools.

Significant progress unfolds in global upskilling initiatives. India, Africa, and Canada launched major green energy and clean tech training programs. Complementing these investments, New Jersey launched a $500M advanced manufacturing tax credit program, while Rolls-Royce established new defense workforce academies. Digital skills received a boost from UNESCO and Samsung, training thousands in AI. In healthcare, grants in the US and Canada expanded apprenticeships, a strategy mirrored in India by a new Max Healthcare partnership to enhance radiology training and diagnostic capabilities.

Thanks for reading!

Global Labor Market Trends

📰 US Job Market Weaker After Major Revision. The Bureau of Labor Statistics cut 911,000 jobs from payroll figures, marking the largest downward revision in its history. The change shows that hiring has been far slower than previously thought, raising concerns about economic momentum and the resilience of the US labor market.

💼 Novo Nordisk to Cut 9,000 Jobs Globally in Major Restructuring. The Danish pharmaceutical giant announced a global workforce reduction of 9,000 positions as part of a major restructuring plan. The move aims to streamline operations and optimize costs, impacting multiple regions and business units.

👥 Global OECD Unemployment Stable, Youth Lagging. The overall OECD unemployment rate held steady at about 4.9% in July 2025. However, youth unemployment (ages 15–24) remains much higher, at approximately 11.2% highlighting labour market challenges for younger workers.

Green Skills

🌱 Africa Mobilizes $100B for Green Industrial Initiative. Kenya signed an agreement to mobilize $100B under the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative. The plan develops technical expertise, builds local capacity, creates jobs in renewable energy-powered industries, and equips the workforce with skills for climate-smart manufacturing and sustainable green industrial growth across Africa.

💡 Canada Invests $29M to Train Clean Energy Workers and Advance AI Research. Canada allocated $9M through the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund to train nearly 5,000 workers in clean energy fields, including wind, solar, geothermal, and hydrogen. The government also invests $19.7M to expand AI research infrastructure under the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy.

🌳 IIPE Hosts $10M HR Conclave to Build Future-Ready Workforce. The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy held an HR conclave in Visakhapatnam to align academia with industry for India’s energy transition. Leaders highlighted green skills, industry collaboration, and training initiatives to equip graduates with capabilities for sustainable energy and emerging technologies.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

🏭 New Jersey Launches $500M Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit Program. New Jersey introduces the Next New Jersey Manufacturing Program to drive investment in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, life sciences, food & beverage, and defense sectors. The program offers incentives for job creation, capital investments, and bonus credits for minority- and women-owned businesses, plus Opportunity Zone projects.

🛡️ Rolls-Royce and South Australia Strengthen Defence Skills. Rolls-Royce and South Australia signed an MOU to enhance workforce development, technical training, and critical technologies for the defence sector. Plans include five technical colleges, software engineering degree apprenticeships, and a Skills and Training Academy at Osborne Naval Shipyard to build critical industry capabilities.

💰 BEAM Circular Awards $970K to Advance Bioeconomy Workforce. BEAM Circular awarded $970K in grants to strengthen bioeconomy and advanced manufacturing training in Stanislaus County. Funding supports local institutions through the Wet Lab & Training Facilities Fund and Bioeconomy Workforce Development Fund, preparing students and workers for high-skill careers in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and sustainable industries.

AI & Digital Skills

💻 Samsung Is Expanding Its Innovation Campus Sixfold in 2025. The program aims to train 20,000 students across 10 Indian states in AI, IoT, big data, and coding while also emphasizing future tech-readiness, soft skills, and job placements, in addition to addressing regional skills gaps and boosting employability.

🌐 Generative AI Training Programs Launched by UNESCO To Empower Youth in South American Countries. Through the global skills academy, the program builds AI literacy, ethics, and practical skills, hence boosting employability and digital inclusion. The program has trained over 1,100 underserved youth in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, thereby boosting regional AI literacy.

🌟 Singtel Expands AI Upskilling for Future-Ready Workforce. Singtel renewed its MOU with the Union of Telecoms Employees of Singapore to advance AI and digital skills. With 95% of employees already completing foundational AI training, the initiative introduces co-created learning paths and transformational roles to strengthen workforce readiness in tech sustainability and innovation.

Health Skills

🏥 Essex County College Expands Healthcare Apprenticeships. Essex County College secured a $386K grant to grow healthcare skills training. In partnership with RWJ Barnabas Health and University Hospital, the college will expand apprenticeships, create new pathways for clinical medical assistants and patient care technicians, and act as a certified sponsor for workforce development.

✅ Mentorship Program Builds Physiotherapy Skills in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Department of Jobs is investing $89K to support the NLCP’s physiotherapist mentorship program. Key initiatives include one-on-one mentoring, rural outreach, and licensing support to enhance professional skills, integrate practitioners into the health system, and strengthen rural healthcare services.

🏨 Max Healthcare Strengthens Radiology Training in India. Max Healthcare partnered with BAPIO Training Academy to enhance radiology skills development. The program focuses on upskilling and reskilling medical professionals, exam preparation for the Royal College of Radiologists fellowship, knowledge transfer, and improving diagnostic capabilities, thereby gearing towards better patient outcomes.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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