🛠️ Skills and Workforce #23

This week, Etech joins Everest Group’s Clinton Global Initiative pledge, aiming to expand the impact sourcing workforce to one million workers by 2030. ​Universal Studios is set to open its first UK theme park in Bedfordshire by 2031. The development is expected to generate a $50B boost to the UK economy by 2055, creating 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent roles. ​The UK is establishing a Clean Power Army to generate 100,000 green jobs, enhance energy security, and lower emissions as part of its Green Skills initiative. In the US, St. Louis Community College (STLCC) is investing $51.8M in an advanced manufacturing center to grow the high-tech talent pipeline and strengthen industry connections. India is collaborating with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to launch Skills Accelerator, focused on upskilling workers in AI, robotics, and clean energy. Nigeria is training 120,000 frontline healthcare workers as part of President Tinubu's healthcare reform, aiming to transform nationwide access and service delivery.

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Global Labor Market Trends

💻Etech Joins Clinton Global Initiative to Empower 1 Million Impact Workers by 2030. Etech, a leader in customer engagement solutions, has joined forces with Everest to help grow the impact sourcing workforce to 1 million individuals by 2030. This bold commitment underscores Etech’s long-standing mission to create sustainable employment opportunities in underserved and marginalized communities while continuing to deliver top-tier services to clients around the globe.

👷🏾‍♂️ Universal to Build First European Theme Park in Bedford, $65B Investment to Create 28,000 Jobs. In a landmark deal between Universal, the UK government, and Bedford Borough Council, a multi-billion dollar investment will bring a world-class Universal theme park and resort to Bedford. Set to open in 2031, this massive development is expected to deliver a $65B boost to the UK economy by 2055 and create 28,000 new jobs across construction, creative, hospitality, and technology sectors.

🚢  UConn, URI, and GDEB Launch Major Workforce Development Program. The University of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island have secured a pivotal five-year ANCHOR contract with General Dynamics Electric Boat to boost maritime workforce development. The initiative will expand the Navy STEM Coalition’s outreach by launching new K-12 summer programs, undergraduate research opportunities, and teacher training. 

Green Skills

👷🏻‍♂️ The UK launched the Clean Power Army. The UK launched a new energy skills drive to create a “clean power army” and fill over 100,000 jobs by 2030. Backed by major firms like National Grid and SSE, the plan includes training programmes in key regions, support for oil and gas workers, and £55M for a floating wind hub. The goal: boost energy security, cut emissions, and reindustrialise the UK with secure, well-paid jobs.

🚗 Croatia and the World Bank Launch Initiative to Tackle Labor Shortages. With a shrinking workforce and evolving job demands, Croatia is boosting upskilling efforts in the green and digital sectors. The initiative focuses on improving labor market participation, particularly for youth, women, and migrants, through targeted training, apprenticeships, and inclusive employment policies.

☀️  NSDC and WRI India Launch Green Skills Drive for MSMEs. The two bodies will develop industry-focused training to boost green jobs in manufacturing, services, and agriculture. Aimed at closing the green skill gap, the initiative links local skilling with global job opportunities. The partnership will develop industry-aligned curricula and create pathways to global green job markets.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

🏗️ BHEL Trichy Upskills MSMEs Amid $20.4B Order Surge. BHEL Trichy is launching a major upskilling initiative to support its MSME vendor base as outsourced production demand exceeds 240,000 metric tons annually. The Welding Research Institute will boost welder skills to meet advanced demands in local ancillary units.

👷 TLCC Launches $51.8M Advanced Manufacturing Center to Strengthen Talent Pipeline. St. Louis Community College’s new $51.8M, 96,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center at Florissant Valley supports nearly 20 high-tech programs like robotics, geospatial tech, and drone piloting. Funded by Proposition R, it has hired over 1,100 STLCC graduates for defense aircraft roles.

🌍 Yudo Launches Industry-First Training Programme for Plastic Manufacturing Sector. Yudo has launched a 70-hour, NSDC-certified training program focused on Hot Runner System (HRS) technology for the plastic manufacturing sector. Facilitated by the Arvind Mehta Technology and Entrepreneurship Centre (AMTEC), the programme aims to enhance industry skills and foster innovation. This initiative, aligned with the Atma Nirbhar Bharat program, was inaugurated last week.

AI & Digital Skills

🌐 India Collaborates with WEF to Launch ‘India Skills Accelerator’ for Enhanced Skill Development. India partners with the World Economic Forum to launch the India Skills Accelerator, aiming to upskill and reskill workers in AI, robotics, and clean energy. The initiative bridges the education-industry gap through public-private collaboration, lifelong learning, and mentorship—empowering youth for a digital economy and supporting India’s $5T growth vision.

📱 King’s College London Launches Digital & Data Academy for Smarter Operations. In partnership with Multiverse, King’s College London is upskilling 75 staff members through a 13-month Data Fellowship to enhance data literacy, efficiency, and decision-making. Funded via the apprenticeship levy, the program uses applied learning in tools like Power BI, addressing critical skill gaps in higher education. This move supports the university’s digital transformation while empowering staff to focus on strategic, high-impact work.

💻 Saudi Arabia Launches Future Tech Leaders Program for Executives. Tuwaiq Academy, backed by the National Technology Development Program and MCIT, has introduced a six-month Future Tech Leaders program in partnership with UC Berkeley. Tailored for CEOs and IT managers, the course delivers hands-on training in AI, data science, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. The initiative aims to close the tech skills gap among leadership, preparing professionals to steer Saudi Arabia’s innovation agenda.

Health Skills

🧑‍⚕️ A Healthier Nigeria: Tinubu’s Bold Agenda to Transform Healthcare. As a realignment of priorities toward the health sector, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has launched an ambitious, multi-pronged healthcare reform aimed at transforming access, infrastructure, and service delivery nationwide. This sweeping health agenda is redefining the sector and is set to train 120,000 frontline health workers over 16 months, signaling a promising shift toward a more inclusive and efficient system.

🧑‍🎓  Bridging the Skills Gap: ArcLight Academy Powers San Antonio’s Healthcare Career Transition. In the heart of San Antonio’s booming $42B medical industry, ArcLight Academy is reshaping the region’s workforce future. Pete Kosko founded this nonprofit, which is turning mass layoffs into career-launching opportunities by retraining unemployed individuals for high-demand healthcare roles like EMTs, phlebotomists, and ECG technicians.

💉 Global Careers for Nurses: KUHS & NSDC Partner to Launch Overseas Placement Training. In a significant step toward boosting international job opportunities for healthcare professionals, the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) and NSDC International have signed a landmark MoU to upskill nursing students for overseas employment, with zero intermediaries involved. Students will have secured placements in Germany, Canada, and the UK, specifically within the fields of paramedical sciences and pharmacy.

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