🛠️ Skills and Workforce #29

This week’s global workforce developments spotlight ambitious moves in workforce upskilling across key sectors. In Malaysia, Sarawak Skills signed pivotal partnerships with Halliburton and the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation to strengthen workforce pipelines in oil and gas and Industry 4.0 technologies. In the US, Kentucky is advancing its green economy through the Bluegrass State Skills Corp., which is upskilling over 11,700 workers, including 10,000+ at Ford’s Louisville EV hubs. In the Philippines, Meralco Power Academy and MSU-IIT partnered to train talent in renewables and nuclear science. Meanwhile, New South Wales launched its Future Fleet Program to strengthen local rail manufacturing and create long-term skilled jobs, and Kerala introduced advanced drone pilot training to open up new career paths in defense and agriculture.

Africa and Latin America are also making major digital strides. Nigeria announced a plan to train 5 million AI-skilled workers to tackle an $11B skills gap, while Bogotá launched over 12,000 free tech courses with certifications from Google, Microsoft, and others. In health, Australia is investing $5.7M to support Fiji’s HIV response and broader healthcare workforce, and Eni Foundation’s partnership in Angola will train over 200 healthcare professionals and enhance hospital coordination, aiming to improve neonatal and pediatric care nationwide.

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Global Labor Market Trends

💰 Sarawak Skills signs key partnerships to boost workforce development. Sarawak Skills Development Centre signed key partnerships with Halliburton Energy Services and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation to enhance workforce development in oil and gas, and Industry 4.0 technologies.

📜 Sutter Health and Rivet School Launch Workforce Development Approach to Help Staff Continue Education, Advance Careers. Sutter Health and Rivet School partnered to offer non-clinical employees flexible, affordable online degree programs in Business Management, Healthcare Management, or Communications. This initiative aims to help staff continue their education and advance their careers within Sutter’s healthcare network.

📉 America’s largest shoe company Nike, is cutting jobs in its technology division. Nike is reducing its technology workforce as part of a broader restructuring plan under CEO Elliott Hill. The company plans to outsource some tech roles to third-party vendors to streamline operations and boost innovation.

Green Skills

🏠 Kentucky Upskills 11,700 Workers Through BSSC, Boosts Green Industry Skills. The Bluegrass State Skills Corp. approved $9.5M for training at 115 sites in FY2025, including 10,000+ at Ford’s Louisville EV hubs. Programs target sectors like renewables, alternative fuels, and carbon pipelines, advancing green workforce development.

🔧 Meralco Power Academy and MSU-IIT signed an MOU to train a future-ready energy workforce. They’ll offer joint programs, internships, and research to boost renewables and nuclear science skills, aligning industry and academia for a sustainable energy future.

⚡ MGEN Powers Ahead with World’s Largest Solar-BESS Project & Local Workforce Boost. MTerra Solar in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan hits 42% completion, set to deliver 3,500 MW solar and 4,500 MWh storage by Q1 2026. The TERRAnsform program trains 600 locals, with 60 now employed onsite.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

🔧 NSW Launches Future Fleet Program to Boost Rail Manufacturing and Jobs. Transport for NSW has begun consultations for its Future Fleet Program, which aims to replace 450 Tangara train carriages with at least 50% locally manufactured content, with procurement set to begin by 2027. The program is designed to strengthen Australia’s rail manufacturing capabilities, generate long-term skilled jobs and apprenticeships, and support a sustainable pipeline of talent for the advanced manufacturing workforce.

🏭 Kerala Launches Advanced Drone Pilot Training to Empower Youth. ASAP Kerala, in collaboration with Anna University’s DGCA-approved Centre for Aerospace Research, has inaugurated an advanced drone pilot training program at Rajadhani Engineering College, Nagaroor. Aimed at bridging education and employment gaps, this initiative prepares the youth for careers in sectors such as agriculture and national defense, with plans underway to establish a Centre of Excellence in Thrissur to further expand drone training and skill development opportunities.

🤝 New Victorian Skills Round Targets Industry-Led Training Innovation. The Victorian Government has opened Round 2 of its Skills Solutions Partnerships Program, offering up to $500,000 in matched grants for training pilots in emerging sectors such as advanced manufacturing, defence, and digital technologies. This initiative supports designing and delivering new short courses and on-the-job training to meet evolving workforce needs in priority and emerging sectors through collaboration between businesses and TAFEs or dual sector universities.

AI & Digital Skills

🚀 Nigeria Targets 5 Million AI-Trained Workers to Tackle $11B Skills Gap. The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched an ambitious plan to train 5 million workers in AI over the next three years through the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI). Backed by President Tinubu and Minister Bosun Tijani, the initiative aims to close a digital skills gap costing Nigeria $11B annually.

⚙️ Bogotá Launches 12,000+ Free Tech Courses with Certifications from Google, Microsoft, Meta, and more. In a major digital upskilling push, Bogotá City Hall has unveiled the “Bogotá Digital Capital” strategy, supported by Google, Microsoft, Meta, IBM, AWS, and global universities. The courses last two months and offer international certifications, expanding tech career prospects locally and globally.

💻 Google Canada Invests $5M in AI Education via Amii-Led National Consortium. This nationwide AI education initiative will develop adaptable AI curriculum resources to reach 125,000 students, including Indigenous and polytechnic institutions across 25 Canadian post-secondary institutions. While Canada leads in AI research, adoption lags; this program aims to close that gap and equip students for AI-powered jobs.

☁️ Alibaba Cloud is teaming up with Mapúa University to deliver advanced training in AI and cloud computing. Under the Alibaba Cloud Academic Empowerment Program (AAEP),  students and faculty gain access to industry-aligned courses, labs, and certifications, supporting the Philippines’ National AI Strategy (NAIS Ph). The initiative ensures graduates are future-ready and helps bridge the academic-industry skills gap in the country's growing digital economy.

Health Skills

🏥 Australia Pledges $5.7M to Boost Fiji’s HIV Response and Healthcare Workforce. The funding supports disease surveillance, testing, and community-led HIV prevention and treatment. It complements Australia’s broader $30M hospital upgrade and $8M annual health system support, strengthening Fiji’s healthcare infrastructure and workforce readiness.

📃 Eni Foundation and ENE Angola Launch Capacity Building Program with a Multi-Million Investment in Angola. Two MoUs with Angola’s Ministry of Health back a 3-year initiative to train 200+ healthcare professionals and develop a digital platform enhancing hospital coordination in Luanda. The program also aims to improve neonatal and pediatric care in Luanda, Benguela, Huambo, and Huíla. 

📚 Molina Healthcare of Florida and The MolinaCares Accord Award $170K in Workforce and Wellness Grants. The funding supports six local organizations focused on job training, financial literacy, healthy aging, and maternal health. Initiatives include workforce development, digital literacy, and wraparound services targeting chronic illness prevention and career readiness for vulnerable communities. 

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