🛠️ Skills and Workforce #31

This week’s global workforce developments reflect a surge in upskilling across digital, green, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. In India, Lenovo and Motorola launched the LEAP Lab in Goa to train 10,000 students, including 40% women and 1,000 students with disabilities, in AI and full-stack development. UPES and Salesforce set up a skilling hub in Uttarakhand to offer certifications in AI-enabled CRM and automation. Google Canada unveiled a $13M AI Opportunity Fund to train over 2 million Canadians.

Green skills are in focus with Indonesia and the UK’s Aquatera training 1,100 energy staff in renewables. George Mason University opened a nuclear training hub in the US, and Stellantis India’s Project INSPIRE will train 2,500 students in EV and robotics. Ireland’s Kirchhoff launched a $1M manufacturing training program, Delhi introduced youth-industry skill linkages, and Apple is training 18,000 Vietnamese supply chain workers. Digital skills development is accelerating as Infosys and E.ON launched an AI-powered digital workplace for 77,000 employees across Europe. MTN Foundation rolled out a free digital platform to equip Nigerian youth with certifications in DevOps, UI/UX, and cloud computing. In Egypt, the MCIT and IBM aim to train 100,000 people in AI by 2030 under the National AI Strategy. In health, Florida expands physician residencies, CSUSB enhances nursing outreach, and Tennessee’s $1.94M RISE TN aims to upskill rural healthcare workers across seven counties.

Thanks for reading!

Not a subscriber yet?

Global Labor Market Trends

💰Lenovo Launches LEAP Digital Innovation Lab to Skill 10,000 Goan Students. Lenovo India and Motorola Mobility India have inaugurated the LEAP Digital Innovation Lab at the Government College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, Sanquelim, Goa, aiming to train 10,000 students in AI, Data Analytics, and Full-Stack Web Development. Implemented by BharatCares, the initiative emphasizes inclusivity, targeting 40% female participation and reaching 1,000 students with disabilities. 

📜UPES and Salesforce Launch Skilling Hub to Empower Uttarakhand Students in Digital Technologies. UPES's School of Computer Science has partnered with Salesforce to establish a skilling hub in Uttarakhand, offering free and paid certification courses in AI-enabled CRM, low-code/no-code platforms, customer data platforms, and workflow automation. The initiative includes mentorship and career pathways through partnerships with TCS, Wipro, and IBM, aiming to bridge academia and industry for a digitally fluent workforce. 

📉 Google Canada Unveils $13M AI Opportunity Fund to Upskill Over 2 Million Canadians. Google Canada has launched a $13M AI Opportunity Fund to enhance the nation's AI workforce. The initiative supports four organizations—Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, First Nations Technology Council, Skills for Change, and Toronto Public Library. The fund aims to equip over two million Canadians with AI skills, addressing the digital divide and preparing the workforce for an AI-driven economy. 

Green Skills

🤝 Indonesia, UK’s Aquatera Team Up on Energy Workforce Skills. Indonesia’s Energy Ministry and Scotland’s Aquatera Ltd signed an MoU to boost energy transition skills. The program aims to train 1,100 PLN staff on renewables, smart grids, and climate leadership, backed by UNOPS and focused on inclusivity and coastal resilience.

⚡ George Mason Opens SMR Training Hub with NuScale. The new Energy Exploration Centre in Arlington features the US’s first 12-module simulator, training students in nuclear operations and clean energy innovation.

🤝 Stellantis India, ASSIST Asia launch Project INSPIRE to train 2,500 students in EV, mechatronics, and robotics skills. The initiative aligns with national policies like Viksit Bharat 2047, promoting green skills, digital literacy, and female participation to boost employability in advanced manufacturing sectors.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

🏗️ Kirchhoff Launches $1M Training Initiative in Letterkenny to Boost Advanced Manufacturing Skills. Kirchhoff Ireland has initiated a two-year training program at its Letterkenny plant, investing $1M to enhance skills in innovation, sustainability, and digitalisation. Supported by IDA Ireland and the Irish government, the initiative aims to upskill over 40 employees and strengthen Ireland’s position as a global hub for advanced manufacturing.

🚀 Delhi Launches Initiative to Connect Youth with Industry Skills. Delhi’s new program aims to bridge the gap between young job seekers and industry needs by offering targeted upskilling and reskilling opportunities. Focused on advanced manufacturing and other emerging sectors, the initiative seeks to enhance employability, foster innovation, and support economic growth by preparing the youth for the evolving labor market.

🔧 Apple Expands Technical Training to Enhance Skills in Vietnamese Supply Chain. Apple is expanding its technical training in Vietnam with 45 new courses for over 18,000 supply chain workers, focusing on smart manufacturing, automation, and programming. Partnering with key suppliers such as Foxconn, the program aims to double educational opportunities, enhance workforce skills, and support career growth. It also extends vocational education for people with disabilities, promoting inclusion and workplace safety.

AI & Digital Skills

💻 Infosys partners with E.ON to launch an AI-powered digital workplace for 77,000 employees across Europe. The collaboration leverages Infosys Topaz to enhance productivity, employee experience, and digital transformation. It aims to create a human-centric, data-driven environment that supports flexible work and innovation, while advancing E.ON’s strategic goals in operational efficiency and technology modernization.

🦾 MTN Foundation launches a free digital skills platform to empower Nigerian youth for the modern economy. The initiative provides career guidance for students and offers professional certifications in high-demand tech fields, including DevOps, UI/UX, and cloud computing. Aimed at unlocking youth potential, the program invites broad participation via skillsacademy.mtn.com.

🤖 Egypt’s MCIT has partnered with IBM to train 100,000 Egyptians in AI by 2030 under the National AI Strategy. Delivered via IBM’s free SkillsBuild platform, the program targets youth, ICT professionals, and government employees. It supports Egypt’s goal to develop 30,000 AI professionals and boost the ICT sector’s GDP share, while aligning with IBM’s global commitment to train 2 million people in AI by 2026.

Health Skills

🧑‍⚕️ FSU Partners with Ascension Sacred Heart to Expand Physician Residency Programs in Florida. Starting July 1, four residency programs with 90 training slots will be sponsored by Florida State University's College of Medicine, aiming to address Florida’s physician shortage. 

💊 DHCD Grants $88K to CSUSB’s Street Medicine Program to Expand Community-Based Nursing Training. The initiative enhances clinical training for nursing students while delivering vital healthcare services to unsheltered and underserved populations across the Coachella Valley. 

📝 Austin Peay Awarded $1.94M to Build Rural Healthcare Talent Pipeline in Tennessee. Funded by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the RISE TN initiative will deliver paid clinical training, phlebotomy programs, and online degree pathways across 7 rural counties, aiming to upskill high schoolers and adults in critical healthcare fields. 

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
Have some feedback or suggestions? Let us know at hello@holoniq.com