🛠️ Skills and Workforce #46

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Global labor markets are navigating workforce realignment and strategic upskilling amid technological adoption and sustainability priorities. In the US, foreign-born employment fell by 1.1M since January 2025, while Microsoft reduced over 15,000 roles. UN budget cuts of $500M will trigger at least 3,000 layoffs, reflecting operational pressures and funding constraints.

Significant progress unfolds in workforce development initiatives worldwide. Green energy and sustainable construction programs, including C2R2’s $11.3M Green Building Skills initiative, Bournemouth and Poole College’s $1.3M renewable energy center, and KeyBank Foundation’s $750K Green Jobs program, are preparing workers with practical, industry-aligned skills. Technical upskilling in semiconductors, AI, and advanced manufacturing is supported by PCC ($1.7M), NICC ($454K), Meralco-TransCo programs, and corporate investments like Microsoft’s $30B UK AI/cloud initiative and The Warehouse Group-TCS partnership. Complemented by CapitaLand & WSG’s S$7M program and healthcare workforce expansions in the US and Australia, these efforts illustrate a global pivot toward digitally capable, sustainable, and adaptable labor markets.

Thanks for reading!

Global Labor Market Trends

🌍 1.1M Foreign‑Born US Workers Lose Jobs Amid Immigration Policy. The US foreign-born workforce has fallen by 1.1M since January 2025, down 1.5M from the March peak. Policy actions ending humanitarian parole, Temporary Protected Status, and limiting refugee admissions drove job losses. Foreign-born unemployment rose to 4.2 percent, above the 2023 average of 3.6 percent.

🌐 UN Faces $500M Budget Cut, 3,000 Job Losses Amid US Funding Cuts. The UN core budget decreases from $3.7B to $3.2B in 2026, leading to at least 3,000 layoffs from a staff of 35,000. The cuts follow significant US funding reductions, reducing resources for programs like WFP and UNHCR, and prompting agencies to streamline operations around peace, human rights, and development mandates.

💼 Microsoft Cuts 15,000 Jobs Globally Amid Restructuring. Microsoft laid off over 15,000 employees in 2025, including 9,000 in July, across Xbox, sales, customer support, and mixed-reality teams. The layoffs aim to streamline management and refocus on AI and cloud services, despite reporting $70B revenue and $26B profit in the latest quarter.

Green Skills

⚖️ Workers Prepared for Sustainable Construction. The C2R2 launched a Green Building Skills initiative with $11.3M federal support. The program offers industry-aligned training through 13 institutions in Canada, with a curriculum developed to reflect industry needs. Additionally, 10 new training initiatives have been launched, with an emphasis on scaling 30 existing ones to upskill workers.

🌱 Workforce Transformation Driven By Green Energy Skills. Bournemouth and Poole College opens a $1.3M green energy center, aiming to upskill labour in renewables by offering practical training in real-world conditions. Specialised training bays, accredited courses, and internships are offered to build a workforce capacity to support emerging energy infrastructure trends. 

🌿 Sustainable Workforce Built Through Green Skills Training. The KeyBank Foundation commits $750K to launch the Green Jobs workforce initiative. The program delivers industry-recognized certifications in energy auditing and solar installations, alongside job placement and coaching services to upskill under-employed workers for clean energy careers.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

🏭 Semiconductor and AI Workforce Upskilled Using High-Tech Lab Expansions. PCC secured $1.7M to expand workforce training through Innovation Spaces. The facilities provide hands-on training in cleanroom and AI labs, offering programs in semiconductors, robotics, and machine learning for students and workers, to strengthen industry readiness and support strong job placement.

🛡️ Future Advanced Manufacturing Workforce to Be Upskilled in Landmark Funding. NICC received a $454K NSF grant to expand competency-based education in advanced manufacturing. It revamps programs in Industrial Automation & Mechatronics, Industrial Maintenance, and Engineering Technology, allowing students to gain skills aligned with industry demands while supporting strong job placements. 

💰 Meralco-TransCo Partnership Boosts Technical Skills in The Philippines. Meralco Power Academy and TransCo are advancing workforce upskilling through short courses, capability development, and talent-pipeline programs, strengthening technical competencies in power distribution, professional development, and innovation to meet evolving energy sector demands.

AI & Digital Skills

💻 Microsoft Commits $30B to UK AI Infrastructure. Microsoft committed $30B over four years to expand UK AI capacity, with half directed to new AI/cloud infrastructure and building the country’s largest supercomputer, and the remainder funding operations, 6,000 existing employees, AI/Research hubs, and ongoing services. The move aims to deepen digital infrastructure and expand high-skill opportunities.

🏬 The Warehouse Group Partners with TCS to Upskill Workforce and Save $40M. New Zealand’s The Warehouse Group partnered with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to modernise its IT systems, consolidate platforms, and implement AI/digital upskilling for staff. The deal is expected to reduce license and managed-services costs by $40M over five years, reallocating tech teams toward higher-value work.

🌐 CapitaLand & WSG to Invest $5.46M to Build Future-Ready Workforce. CapitaLand Group and Workforce Singapore signed an MoU committing up to $5.6M to strengthen workforce capabilities amid changing economic and tech trends. The funding will support programs to build skills for digital transformation in CapitaLand’s operations, preparing staff for evolving roles.

Health Skills

🏥 ANA Urges States to Standardize Nurse Staffing. The American Nurses Association called on states to align with the $75M federal investment in long-term care nursing programs announced by CMS. The funding supports nurse recruitment and retention, particularly in nursing homes, addressing burnout and unsafe staffing levels. The initiative strengthens patient safety while safeguarding nursing jobs nationwide.

🧑‍⚕️ Grande Ronde Hospital Secures $2.2M Workforce Grant. Grande Ronde Hospital received $2.2M from the US Economic Development Administration to build a new workforce development center. The expansion adds classrooms and training spaces for medical assistants and staff, supports 17,000 extra patient visits annually, and deepens partnerships with schools and universities.

🏫 Australia Expands Digital Health Training With $1.3M Boost. The Australian Digital Health Agency committed $1.3M to expand digital training, supporting 300,000 allied health professionals who deliver 200 million services annually. The initiative equips hospitals and clinics with electronic records and secure messaging, lifting digital literacy and preparing the workforce for future health technology.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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