🛠️ Skills and Workforce #25

In this week’s summary, Intel plans to cut over 20% of its staff as part of a strategic overhaul, while the IRS faces a 25% workforce reduction during the 2025 tax season. New York is expanding Monroe Community College’s tech center to boost workforce development​. 

In the green skills sphere, India’s Dassault Aviation facility will drive aerospace training and job creation. Namibia launches a national Skills Census for its green hydrogen workforce, and Ireland is strengthening its energy sector through training partnerships. Advanced manufacturing is expanding in Austin, Florida, and Pennsylvania through new facilities and college-industry collaborations. On the digital front, Thailand and Microsoft aim to train over 1 million people in AI, while Caterpillar invests $100M in upskilling workers. MDEC and Zhejiang University partnered to boost Malaysia’s AI and digital innovation. Health sector initiatives are also growing to address care access, nursing shortages, and workforce and care innovations.

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Global Labor Market Trends

💻 Intel Plans to Cut 20% of Workforce Amid Strategic Overhaul. Intel is reportedly preparing to lay off over 20% of its workforce, approximately 21,000 employees, as part of a major restructuring under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan. The move aims to streamline operations, reduce bureaucracy, and refocus on engineering excellence, following a previous 15% workforce reduction in August 2024.. ​

👷🏾‍♂️ IRS Faces Major Upheaval Amid Mass Layoffs and Leadership Turmoil. The IRS faces major disruption in the 2025 tax season due to plans to reduce its workforce by up to 25% (around 20,000 employees) through layoffs and retirements. Coupled with rapid leadership changes and political pressures, these events raise concerns about the IRS's ability to effectively serve taxpayers and maintain public trust.

🚢 Governor Hochul Launches Advanced Technology Center to Boost Workforce Development​. New York Governor Kathy Hochul initiated a $69.6M expansion of Monroe Community College’s Advanced Technology Center in Brighton. The upgraded facility, opening in 2026, will offer accelerated training in optics, HVAC, and solar energy to support the state's semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries.

Green Skills

🛰️ Dassault Aviation to Boost India’s Aviation Sector Near Noida Airport. Dassault Aviation is setting up a state-of-the-art MRO facility near Noida International Airport, marking a major step in India’s aerospace development. The project includes an aviation university and a Centre of Excellence to address India’s skills gap. The facility will support civil and military aircraft, creating thousands of jobs and positioning Uttar Pradesh as a key aviation hub.

🌱 Hyphen Launches National Skills Census to Power Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Workforce. Hyphen Hydrogen Energy has kicked off a nationwide Skills Census to map Namibia’s talent pool for its upcoming green hydrogen megaproject. With 15,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent roles projected, the census aims to identify local expertise and guide training and upskilling initiatives.

🚙 SETU and ESB Networks Partner to Strengthen Ireland’s Energy Workforce. SETU and ESB Networks have partnered to improve Ireland’s energy sector through accredited training programs, instructor upskilling, and innovation. The collaboration aims to develop a skilled workforce, offering hands-on learning in real-world environments.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

🏭 Austin’s HICAM Launches with ACC, Tesla Training Partnership. The Hayes Innovation Center for Advanced Manufacturing (HICAM) has opened a 50,000-sq-ft high-tech facility in East Austin to accelerate innovation and workforce development. Designed for startups and industrial R&D, HICAM offers prototyping space and advanced manufacturing equipment. It’s partnering with Austin Community College to run a nine-week training program for Tesla employees and others, positioning the site as a regional hub for robotics, additive manufacturing, and next-gen tech development.

🏗️ IRSC Secures $4M Grant to Expand Manufacturing Training Institute. The State Government of Florida has awarded $4M to Indian River State College to boost its new Institute for Industrial Manufacturing and Production Training. Housed at the $21M Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex in Fort Pierce, the center already provides hands-on learning in welding, HVAC, EV tech, and more. The funding will support training for up to 1,500 students annually, with expansion planned for IRSC’s Martin County campus.

🏭 Allegheny College Launches ALIC at Bessemer to Power PA’s Manufacturing Workforce. Allegheny College has officially opened ALIC at Bessemer, a new branch campus in Meadville, PA, focused on advanced manufacturing training and innovation. The campus blends liberal arts education with hands-on technical training, applied research, and start-up support, creating a future-ready workforce for northwestern Pennsylvania’s industrial economy.

AI & Digital Skills

⚡ Thailand and Microsoft are launching the THAI Academy to train over 1 million Thais in AI by the end of 2025. Backed by 35+ public and private organizations, the initiative targets civil servants, students, SMEs, and workers nationwide. Through teacher training, school curriculum updates, and SME empowerment, Thailand aims to build a strong AI-skilled workforce and boost digital competitiveness across sectors.

⚙️ Caterpillar will invest $100M over five years to upskill workers in AI, robotics, and automation as part of its centennial celebration. The move addresses a looming skills shift, with 40% of job skills expected to change by 2030, per WEF. Training programs will target both current employees and future talent through STEM outreach and technician training, ensuring the company stays competitive in a tech-driven market.

💻 MDEC & Zhejiang University Join Forces to Boost AI and Digital Innovation. Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has partnered with China’s Zhejiang University to drive AI innovation, smart cities, and digital governance via the successful ‘Zhejiang Model.’ The collaboration aligns with Malaysia’s MADANI vision, focusing on talent development, AI security, and digital competitiveness. With $ 2.7B in Chinese investments and growing exports, the partnership strengthens Malaysia’s regional leadership in digital transformation and supports inclusive, future-ready innovation.

Health Skills

💉 Essential care boost in the NT with $25M in TAFE funding. The Federal and NT governments invest $25.4M in a TAFE Centre of Excellence for regional and remote care, training aged, birthing, child, and mental health professionals via a CDU–Batchelor Institute partnership.

🧑🏾‍⚕️ Rio Grande Valley College Awarded Over $1M to Address Texas Nursing Shortage. Rio Grande Valley College received a $1M Nursing Shortage Reduction Program grant to expand its ADN program, recruit nurse educators, and significantly boost capacity to address Texas’s registered nurse shortage. 

🌍 NIHCM Awards More Than $500,000 to Support Research on GLP-1s, Hospital Competition, Value-Based Care, the Health Care Workforce, and More. NIHCM Foundation granted over $500,000 to 11 new research teams investigating hospital consolidation, pharmaceutical marketing spillovers, integrated primary-mental care, price variation, value-based payment, GLP-1 weight-loss trends, and remote monitoring efficacy. 

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