🛠️ Skills and Workforce Futures #11

HolonIQ is now tracking reskilling and upskilling initiatives that are critical in bridging workforce gaps. Impact industries are rapidly evolving, fueled by technological advancements, decarbonization, geopolitical dynamics, and socio-economic factors. These sectors require considerable workforce/professional development initiatives to enhance workers' capabilities, boost economic growth, and promote social well-being. Read on for this week’s insights.

🌎 Global Labor Market Trends

📊 US job gains accelerate as unemployment drops, highlighting labor market resilience. The US labor market closed 2024 with a strong December, adding 256,000 jobs and reducing unemployment to 4.1%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.3%, supporting robust consumer spending. Key sectors like healthcare, retail, and leisure showed notable growth, while manufacturing saw job losses. The labor market's resilience, marked by fewer permanent job losses and shorter unemployment durations, reinforces expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain current interest rates amid steady economic expansion.

🧑‍🏭 US job seekers divided on 2025 labor market, skills barriers persist. US job seekers hold mixed views on 2025’s labor market, with 33% anticipating fewer jobs in their fields and 29% expecting growth. Key employment barriers include gaps in soft and communication skills, particularly for Gen Z and millennials. While 51% are optimistic about job prospects, challenges like under-qualification and misleading job postings remain. Experts highlight adaptability and continuous learning as critical for navigating the evolving market shaped by economic and policy shifts.

📱 Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced a 5% reduction in his global workforce, causing 3,600 job losses. The move follows criticism for ditching third-party fact-checkers and terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The announcement follows a trend of job casualties in the tech sector, with Meta investing heavily in AI.

👷‍♂️ Vietnam is set to terminate contracts for at least 20% of public servants as part of a major government workforce restructuring. This decision is part of a 20-year plan to overhaul the state apparatus. The government is also offering early retirement incentives, with individuals having fewer than two years until retirement eligible for the same pension benefits.

🌿 Green Skills Map 

HolonIQ has launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated to catalog, evaluate, and context components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.

🌎 Climate 

⚡ $28M investment in Gigapark to boost UK green skills. The Coventry and Warwick Gigapark, a pivotal UK green energy hub, secured $28M from the West Midlands Combined Authority. This funding will enhance energy infrastructure to support battery manufacturing, creating up to 6,000 EV and energy storage jobs. Anchored by Greenpower Park, the site will drive innovation in electrification, clean energy, and battery technologies. Positioned as a global leader, it supports regional growth and the UK’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.

🏢 1M1B launches Green Skills Academy for Andhra youth employment. The 1M1B Foundation, a UN-accredited nonprofit, has launched a Green Skills Academy in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, in collaboration with the the Kuppam Area Development Authority (KADA). Inaugurated by Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the academy aims to train youth in green and professional skills, including e-waste management, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. Digital skills such as AI, communication, and leadership are also offered to prepare participants for green jobs, fostering regional innovation and sustainability.

🏜️ Deloitte Middle East introduces transformative green skills training program. Deloitte Middle East, in collaboration with IEMA, has launched the “Green Skills for a Green Economy” program, offering foundational training in sustainability and green job competencies. Since its debut in the UAE, the program has trained over 350 participants, including students, entrepreneurs, and professionals. This initiative supports regional sustainability goals by empowering individuals with eco-conscious skills and fostering green career pathways. Aligned with Deloitte’s WorldClass and WorldClimate strategies, it addresses the global green skills gap, driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

📱 Advanced Technology 

🤖 Snowflake launched the One Million Minds + One Platform program to train and certify over 100K users on its AI Data Cloud by 2027 and upskill 1M people in Data and AI by 2029. Supported by a $20M investment, the program offers training, certification, and platform credits globally, empowering workers to stay competitive as technology evolves. Snowflake aims to prepare individuals for data-driven careers and future innovation as AI reshapes industries.

💻 Amazon partnered with Spain’s Ministry of Education to reduce the digital skills gap by training 500K students in technological and digital skills by 2027. The initiative supports STEM Education for youth aged 11 to 25, addressing a shortage of AI and Tech talent in the country, where almost 30% of the companies struggle to find skilled staff. With digital transformation poised to add $290B to Spain's economy by 2030, the program aims to equip young talent for a thriving, tech-driven future.

🌐 eSkilled launched its AI Course Creator to revolutionize workforce training by enabling rapid, cost-effective course development to address global skills shortages. With 50% of workers needing reskilling by 2030, traditional training methods are no longer sufficient. The platform automates content creation, delivering industry-specific courses in hours, incorporating engaging multimedia features, and aligning with real-world standards. The CEO highlighted this innovation to close skills gaps and adapt to evolving industry demands, fostering workforce readiness and resilience in a rapidly changing world.

💡 Ooredoo and Al Buraimi Governorate have signed an MOU to advance digital skills, promote AI and IT innovation, and support sustainable development in line with Oman Vision 2040. This collaboration aims to equip the local workforce with expertise through training programs in telecommunications and emerging technologies. The partnership also includes mutual knowledge exchange to share administrative and technical expertise, ensuring Al Buraimi benefits from global best practices while driving Oman’s transformation into a global technology and sustainability leader.

🚀 Space

✨ AEROCOR has launched an in-aircraft pilot training program for the Beechcraft Premier I/IA, offering personalized type rating instruction with plans to add recurrent training soon. The program addresses the growing demand for flexible, customized training in the Premier community. Featuring online scheduling, exceptional instructor availability, and competitive pricing,  enabling pilots to achieve type ratings efficiently. The program also focuses on real-world proficiency and safety, highlighting AEROCOR's commitment to empowering pilots and enhancing the Premier ownership experience.

📡 The Egyptian Space Agency partnered with the African Space Agency and inaugurated the 2025 Basic Space Technology Training Grant. The program welcomed 21 engineers and specialists from 20 African nations, advancing Africa’s space sector through collaboration. Since 2021, 71 participants from 34 countries have benefited from this initiative. This year’s hands-on curriculum in satellite technology, offered in English and French, encourages collaboration and skill development and, reflects Egypt’s commitment to sharing expertise and empowering the continent’s space professionals.

🩺 Health

👨‍⚕️ Skillnet Ireland, in collaboration with 20 European academic institutions, research centers, and industry stakeholders, has introduced the Sustainable Healthcare with Digital Health Data Competence (Susa) initiative. This initiative aims to equip over 7,000 healthcare professionals by 2028, the program will offer 20 bachelor's and 26 master's degree courses, along with 16 advanced modules in digital skills, delivered through 12 higher education institutions across nine European countries.

💉 Cera, the UK’s largest health tech company, has secured $150M  to expand its AI-driven home healthcare model, easing NHS pressure and improving patient care. With one million applications for nurse and carer roles in two years, Cera aims to address workforce shortages. Its technology streamlines tasks, enabling carers to provide two extra hours of daily patient care. The funding will also enhance AI capabilities, expand specialized care, support clinical trials, and upskill healthcare workers in AI.

🏥 The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has launched a $15M H.E.R.O Fund to strengthen the state’s healthcare workforce. This initiative provides matching grants to expand training programs, enhance enrollment capacity, and incentivize high-demand healthcare roles. LDH also invites proposals from educational institutions and industry stakeholders to address critical workforce challenges.

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