🛠️ Skills and Workforce #48

Hello 👋

Global labour market dynamics this week highlight contrasting trends across industries and regions. In the US, oil giant Exxon cut 2,000 jobs as part of restructuring efforts driven by lower oil prices. In Singapore, the economy added 10,400 jobs in the second quarter of 2025 despite global pressures. At the same time, the WTTC projected a shortage of 43 million workers in the tourism and travel sector, underscoring persistent gaps in meeting demand.

Governments and industry accelerate upskilling initiatives. The EU commits $638M for Africa’s renewables workforce. Scotland opens a $13M skills hub and adds $813K to reskill 100 workers. Amgen invests $650M, expanding biomanufacturing workforce. OCC launches $15M training for Micron technicians. The Philippines unveils a 5-year semiconductor talent plan. Southeast Asia expands digital literacy while UOB in Singapore upskills 10,000 via AI and Intel–Katha partnership boosts annotation skills. Further, NYC’s $19.5M expands health education capacity, addressing shortages, FSU’s $2M trains behavioral health professionals, and HHS's partnership strengthens pathways and retention. 

Thanks for reading!

Global Labor Market Trends

🚨 WTTC Forecasts Global Shortage Despite Industry Growth. The travel and tourism industry is set to face a 43M worker shortfall on a global scale, despite recording increased sector growth. The shortage stems from demand outpacing labour supply, compounded by widening skills gaps in entry-level roles and demographic shifts, highlighting the urgency of workforce reskilling and mobility. 

📊 Singapore Experiences Labor Market Resilience Amid Contractions. The economy added 10,400 jobs while unemployment remained at 2%. At the same time, the government launched career conversion programs, HR certifications, and GRIT traineeships to strengthen skills development, support job transitions, and reinforce workforce resilience amid global uncertainties.

📉 US Oil Giant Exxos Cuts 2,000 Jobs Amid Restructuring Efforts. Approximately 3%-4% of the Exxon workforce faces job cuts across Canada and the EU, reflecting the global slump in oil prices, declining profits among energy companies, weaker demand, and OPEC+’s move to maintain lower production levels.

Green Skills

🌳 $638M EU Funding Develops Africa’s Green Workforce. The EU is investing $638M to upskill Africa's workforce for the renewable energy sector. Projects in Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Somalia, and Mozambique will focus on technical skills, rural electrification, and preparing workers for solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal jobs, promoting long-term green employment.

⚡ $13M Skills Hub trains 1,000 workers for clean energy transition. Scotland launched a $13M Energy Transition Skills Hub in Aberdeen to prepare 1,000 workers for offshore wind, hydrogen, and clean energy jobs over five years. Funded by government and industry partners, including Shell, the facility provides welding, manufacturing, and digital training for new entrants and reskilling.

⚙️ $605K Boost for 100 Aberdeen Oil & Gas Workers in Green Energy Transition. The Scottish Government provided an additional $605K to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, allowing 100 more Aberdeen workers to train for offshore wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture roles. This initiative supports the local workforce's transition into Scotland's growing clean energy industry.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

💊 $650M Amgen Expansion Creates 750 Jobs in Puerto Rico. Amgen invests $650M to expand drug production at its Puerto Rico facility, creating 750 construction and manufacturing jobs. Expansion includes advanced technology upgrades, increases US manufacturing capacity, and strengthens its production of 40 treatments across general, rare disease, inflammation, and oncology.

💻 $15M Simulator Trains Technicians for Micron’s $100B Chip Campus. Onondaga Community College opened a $15M cleanroom simulator to train technicians for Micron's $100B semiconductor campus. This facility provides hands-on experience in ISO Class 5/6 environments, addressing the talent gap and boosting high-tech careers in Central New York.

🏭 Philippines Launches 5-Year Semiconductor Workforce Plan. SEIAC launched a five-year plan to train technical talent for the Philippines’ semiconductor and electronics sector. This initiative connects DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and industry to offer ladderized programs and micro-credentials, strengthen school-to-industry pipelines, and boost local high-tech manufacturing careers.

AI & Digital Skills

🌐 Digital Literacy Programs Aim to Empower Millions Across Southeast Asia. Large-scale digital literacy programs led by governments and tech firms are rolling out across Southeast Asia. These initiatives in foundational IT and e-commerce skills are projected to benefit over 20M people, aiming to bridge the digital divide and integrate them into the modern economy.

👨‍🏫 UOB Launches Organization-Wide AI Upskilling for 10,000 Employees. Singapore's UOB Bank is rolling out a comprehensive AI training program for its entire 10,000-strong workforce. The initiative includes technical upskilling for tech staff and AI literacy for all other employees, aiming to integrate AI tools across all business functions and boost productivity.

👩‍💻 Katha and Intel India Launch First AI Data Annotation Course for Girls in Delhi. Katha partners with Intel India to introduce a free AI data annotation course for 500 girls in Delhi schools. The program equips students with foundational data labeling skills, creating early pathways into AI careers and addressing gender gaps in the technology sector.

Health Skills

💰 New York Awards $19.5M to Expand Healthcare Education Programs. The New York State Department of Health is awarding $19.5M to support 17 healthcare education programs across the state. The funding aims to expand training capacity for nurses, clinical staff, and other high-demand medical roles to address critical workforce shortages.

💸 FSU Awarded $2.2M  Federal Grant to Expand Behavioral Health Workforce. Florida State University receives a $2.2M federal grant to train behavioral health professionals in Florida's Panhandle. The funding will support clinical training, stipends, and credentialing for graduate students and professionals, addressing critical shortages in mental and behavioral health services across the region.

💪 New HHS Partnership Aims to Train and Retain Healthcare Workers. The US Department of Health and Human Services partners with ORAU to address critical staffing shortages. The initiative will develop and implement national training programs, enhance career pathways, and support retention efforts for clinical and public health professionals nationwide.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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