🛠️ Skills and Workforce #33

This week’s global workforce developments reflect a surge in upskilling across digital, green, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. Microsoft prepares a third wave of layoffs focused on sales and marketing, following prior cuts at LinkedIn and tech teams, aligning with its $80B AI investment. EDB and RTX forge a 10-year AI and workforce pact. Otto Aviation invests $430M to build an AI-enhanced Phantom 3500 jet plant in Jacksonville, creating 389 jobs. 

Green skills are in focus with Germany investing $50M in vocational renewable energy training in Vietnam. Shell India and NSDC launch a program to skill 5,000+ youth in EV, solar, and green jobs. UK Tackles green skills shortage by combining robotics with human expertise in advanced welding. In advanced manufacturing,  Bowling Green State University trains 120+ professionals in advanced manufacturing microcredentials. India scales welding training with robotics and AI for Industry 4.0. JetZero’s $4.7B Greensboro aerospace facility will create 14,500+ jobs with a $30M customized training program led by North Carolina Community Colleges. Digital skills development is accelerating UK government and tech giants planning to train 7.5M workers in AI by 2030. South Africa’s Telkom Foundation partners with Microsoft to upskill 100,000 youth in AI and cybersecurity. Acorn raises $12.3M to automate personalized workforce development plans. In health, Canada funds practical nurse training for Vernon HCAs; SEIU trains 50 internationally educated nurses. Philadelphia fast-tracks students into healthcare careers with 1,000 hours of training. 

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Global Labor Market Trends

🌍 Microsoft Prepares Third Wave of AI‑Driven Layoffs, Hits Sales Teams. Microsoft is set to initiate another round of layoffs in early July, primarily affecting its global sales and marketing teams. This follows earlier workforce reductions at LinkedIn and among its technical staff, aligning with the company’s $80 billion investment in AI and data center infrastructure. Similar measures are being undertaken by peer firms such as Intel and Google, reflecting a broader industry trend of workforce realignment towards AI-focused priorities.

📜 EDB and RTX Forge 10-Year AI and Workforce Development Pact. Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) and U.S. aerospace firm RTX have signed a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding to jointly invest in AI innovation and skills enhancement. The partnership will channel resources into workforce training, F‑35 sustainment programs, and AI R&D capabilities in Singapore’s aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors. 

📉 Otto Aviation Announces $430M Jacksonville Production Hub for Phantom 3500. Otto Aviation will invest $430M  to establish an advanced manufacturing facility at Jacksonville’s Cecil Airport, marking a major commitment to its AI-enhanced Phantom 3500 business jet. The new plant—built in two phases—will span 850,000 sq ft and create approximately 389 initial jobs, with average salaries near $90,000. Led by state and local incentives, this project reflects a global manufacturing trend where aerospace firms leverage AI-driven aerodynamics.

Green Skills

🧑‍🏭 Germany Invests $50M to Power Vietnam’s Green Workforce. The GIZ-led initiative enhances vocational training in renewables, equipping workers with the critical skills necessary for the country’s energy transition.

⚡ Centre & Shell India Partner to Skill Youth in EV & Green Energy. A national skilling program was launched to train 5,000+ youth in EV, solar, and green jobs across India, with Shell India and NSDC collaboration. The initiative includes classroom and hands-on training, aiming to build a future-ready workforce for India’s clean energy transition.

🤖 UK Tackles Green Skills Shortage by Combining Robotics with Human Expertise in Advanced Welding. The University of Nottingham develops a robotic system that learns from human welders by capturing key techniques and storing them in a digital skills library. The system addresses complex welds, alleviating labor shortages and enhancing productivity across the aerospace, construction, and maritime sectors.

Advanced Manufacturing Skills

🤖 BGSU Trains 120+ Professionals and Educators to Enhance Advanced Manufacturing Skills. Bowling Green State University is upskilling over 120 industry professionals through federally funded microcredential programs focused on advanced manufacturing and robotics. This six-week training covers robotics, AI, additive manufacturing, and smart technologies. By equipping educators to reach nearly 6,500 students over three years, the program strengthens the regional workforce and supports the evolving needs of the advanced manufacturing sector.

🏗️ India Scales Welding Upskilling to Support Industry 4.0 Workforce Needs. India is advancing welding training programs that integrate TIG/MIG techniques, robotics, and AI-driven tools to equip students and early-career workers for Industry 4.0. Through hands-on and simulation-based modules, the initiative addresses skill shortages in fabrication, clean-tech, and infrastructure sectors. It focuses on enhancing employability, aligning technical education with industry demands, and supporting a projected $1.85 billion welding equipment market by 2030.

⚓ JetZero Partners with N.C. Community Colleges to Train Workforce for $4.7B Aerospace Facility. JetZero’s $4.7B aerospace facility in Greensboro will create 14,500+ jobs, supported by a $30M customized training program led by North Carolina Community Colleges. Through the NCEdge initiative and Guilford Technical College, the program provides tailored upskilling in advanced manufacturing and aviation, with hands-on training and workforce assessments, ensuring a skilled workforce for one of North Carolina’s largest industrial projects.

AI & Digital Skills

🤖 UK & Tech Giants Launch AI Skills Plan for 7.5M Workers. The UK Government has teamed up with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM, BT, Salesforce, and others to train 7.5 million workers in AI by 2030, unveiled at London Tech Week. Aimed at preparing a fifth of the workforce, the plan includes both basic AI literacy and specialist skills, part of a broader "Plan for Change" to boost economic growth and job readiness across the country.

🌐 Telkom Foundation to Train 100,000 Youth in AI & Cybersecurity. In partnership with Microsoft and Netcampus Group, Telkom Foundation is launching a major initiative to upskill 100,000 South Africans in AI and cybersecurity via its TelkomLearn platform. Additional perks include 50 scholarships for Microsoft certification and 210 ICT learnerships with real-world placements. 

💡 Acorn Raises $12.3M to Transform Workforce Development with AI. Their latest tool, Capabilities AI, auto-generates personalized development plans by aligning job roles with strategic capabilities, cutting months of HR work to minutes. Amid widespread dissatisfaction with traditional performance reviews, Acorn aims to boost engagement by unifying learning and performance.

Health Skills

🧪 Vernon HCAs to Train as Practical Nurses Through New Funded Program. With over $650K in federal and provincial funding, 10 Vernon health care assistants will upskill into practical nursing through BCCPA and Discovery Community College’s accelerated PN Training Program, to address B.C.’s seniors’ care staffing shortages. 

⚕️ Canada Invests $500K to Train Internationally Educated Nurses through SEIU Program. The SEIU Healthcare Training Centre received federal funding to train 50 internationally educated nurses (IENs) through its Career Pathway Program, offering support and job placements at partners like Sienna Senior Living.

🔬 Jefferson Workforce Development Program Fast-Tracks Philly Students into Healthcare Careers. In partnership with the school district and Esperanza College, the program equips Philadelphia high school students with 1,000 hours of training to enter in-demand entry-level healthcare roles. 

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