🛠️ Skills and Workforce #56

Hello 👋

This week’s global labor landscape highlights contrasting trends. Job markets show resilience, with Malaysia’s unemployment rate falling and the ILO strengthening employment systems in Iraq. Meanwhile, AI-driven productivity in the US displaces traditional roles, reshaping workforce demands.

Nations accelerate upskilling initiatives across key sectors. The US and Taiwan align a $165B semiconductor investment with skills development, Thailand and Microsoft launch national AI reskilling programs, and Nasscom and IBM upskill 80,000 youth in AI and digital skills. The green transition advances through ADB’s $36M green skills program, Sweden’s $41M fossil-free steel plant, and Queensland’s $4.5M mobile renewable training labs. In healthcare, J&J upskills 70,000 Latin American workers, Tulane University launches workforce development programs, and Wales introduces a virtual pathology academy. From GM’s $250M investment in Ohio to India’s Industry 4.0 initiatives, momentum signals a global shift toward building human capital and workforce resilience.

Thanks for reading!

Global Labor Market Trends

🤝 ILO Strengthens Employment Services and Labour Market Links in Iraq. The International Labour Organization is enhancing public employment services in Iraq to improve job-matching and labour market information systems. This initiative aims to strengthen the link between skills training and market demands, supporting the country's economic recovery and workforce development.

📊 Malaysia's Jobless Rate Improves to 3.0% in Q3 as Hours Worked Increase. Malaysia's unemployment rate fell to 3.0% in the third quarter, reflecting a positive trend in the labor market. The improvement was accompanied by a rise in total hours worked, indicating stronger utilization of the existing workforce and broader economic resilience.

💼 AI-Driven Productivity Boom Masks Rising Joblessness in Key US Sectors. The US economy shows a paradox where AI-driven productivity gains coincide with rising joblessness in administrative and clerical roles. This trend complicates the Federal Reserve's economic outlook as efficiency improvements suppress labor demand in certain industries.

Green Skills

🌱 ADB Invests $36M to Boost Green Skills in Laos TVET. ADB allocates $36M to modernize Laos’ TVET schools, introducing EV, ICT, and industrial electrical training. This project will upgrade climate-resilient facilities, train teachers, expand short courses, and increase female participation, while helping youth acquire green, job-ready skills.

🏭 Sweden Grants $41M to Stegra for Fossil-Free Steel Plant. Stegra received $41M from Sweden's Energy Agency to build a hydrogen-powered steel mill in Boden. The funding will support fossil-free iron production, accelerate the green steel transition, and strengthen workforce skills in sustainable industrial technologies, complementing ongoing private and public capital-raising efforts.

⚡ Queensland Launches $4.5M Mobile Renewable Energy Training Facilities. TAFE Queensland invests $4.5M to deploy mobile units delivering solar, wind, hydro, and hydrogen training to regional communities. This initiative provides micro-credentials, XR learning, and train-the-trainer resources, enhances local workforce skills, and supports apprenticeships through partnerships with Allweld Manufacturing.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

💻 US-Taiwan Talks Aim to Boost Semiconductor Skills and $165B Investment. US and Taiwan negotiate a deal linking TSMC’s $165B US investment with structured skills-transfer programs. The agreement targets workforce development for advanced chip fabrication, strengthens domestic manufacturing, and fosters sustainable semiconductor talent while supporting trade and technology collaboration.

🏭 GM Invests $250M in Ohio Parma Metal Center to Strengthen Workforce Skills. GM allocates $250M to Parma Metal Center to enhance sheet metal production and equip employees in advanced manufacturing, STEM, and apprenticeship training. The investment complements $5.5B in 2025 US manufacturing commitments, boosting workforce capabilities and domestic supply chain resilience.

🏗️ IIT Tirupati Partners With CEMS to Train Industry 4.0 Workforce. IIT Tirupati and CEMS launch training programs in Digital Manufacturing, EVs, Industrial IoT, Factory Automation, and Microgrid technologies. Partnership upskills professionals through Siemens- and Wipro-supported initiatives, strengthening competencies for India’s Advanced Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 transition.

AI & Digital Skills

🚀 Thailand Launches Major AI Upskilling Program With Microsoft. Thailand partners with Microsoft to train 150,000 workers, including unemployed and mid-career professionals, in AI and digital skills. The program develops national trainer networks, provides reskilling pathways, and builds workforce readiness aligned with Thailand’s digitalization goals

🔍 Microsoft to Invest $6M in Upskilling Ireland’s Workforce. Microsoft commits $6M to train Irish workers, SMEs, and public sector staff in practical AI skills. The program offers certifications and technical training, aiming to enhance workforce competitiveness, productivity, and national digital skill development.

📘 Nasscom and IBM to Boost India’s AI workforce. Nasscom Foundation and IBM launch a program to upskill 87,000 underserved Indian youth in AI, cybersecurity, cloud, data analytics, and professional skills. The initiative includes mentorship, hands-on learning, and hybrid delivery to strengthen the digital talent pipeline.

Health Skills

🌿 J&J CareCommunity to Upskill Health Workers in Latin America. Johnson & Johnson’s CareCommunity collaboration trains 70,000 health workers through hybrid programs, technical training, and leadership development, enhancing primary care, digital care skills, and workforce capacity across Latin America.

📘 Tulane University Launches Health Workforce Development Program. The workforce development program offered by Tulane University in Louisiana upskills public health workers across fields such as health policy management, epidemiology, and biostatistics through technical certifications and hands-on training, particularly targeting educators, physicians, nurses, and administrators.

🏥 Wales Launches Virtual Pathology Academy to Upskill Workforce. Wales establishes a Virtual Pathology Academy to train biomedical scientists and lab technicians. The program delivers centralized digital education, expands diagnostic skills, and strengthens workforce capacity across the UK’s health system.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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