This week, we’re covering:
Workforce and Labor Trends, By the Numbers
One Million Apprentices? The Math Only Works if Women Are Included
Gen Z Is Using ChatGPT to Navigate Workplace Interactions
Partnerships, Investments, and Company Innovation
What We’re Reading (And Listening To)
Workforce and Labor Trends, By the Numbers
53% of job seekers were ignored by employers, or ghosted, within the last year—a three-year high. [Fortune, subscription model]
77% of employees reported that AI tools increased their workload as employee experience overall trended downward, according to employee experience platform Culture Amp. [HR Dive]
One Million Apprentices? The Math Only Works if Women Are Included
Reaching one million apprentices in the U.S. is impossible without significantly increasing women’s participation, as they currently make up just 14% of apprentices despite being nearly half the workforce. Wendy Chun-Hoon, president and executive director of the Center for Law and Social Policy, and Brooke DeRenzis, CEO of the National Skills Coalition, believe that apprenticeships can help close the gender wage gap and boost economic growth, but recent policy rollbacks and cuts to programs supporting women undermine both equity and the ability to scale apprenticeship systems. Chun-Hoon and DeRenzis argue that successful expansion of apprenticeships will require targeted investments—like outreach, childcare support, and anti-discrimination protections—to recruit and retain more women. [WorkShift]
Many Gen Z workers are using ChatGPT to practice difficult workplace conversations—like salary negotiations or giving feedback—as a way to build confidence before real professional interactions. Phillip Miller, CEO of Skillwell, believes this trend is driven by growing up in remote and digital environments with fewer chances to practice in-person communication, making AI a low-stakes “practice gym” for those skills. Miller says, “Real-world experience remains the best teacher. But organizations no longer have to wait for high-stakes moments to arrive—and hope their people are ready.” [Fortune, subscription model]
Closing the Gap Between School and Work Starts with Mentorship
Students need more than credentials to move successfully from education into employment. They also need access to people who can help them understand career pathways that are often invisible from the classroom. UStrive makes the case that mentorship gives students professional insight, encouragement, and social capital, while also allowing employers to play a more direct role in shaping the future workforce. [SHRM]
Partnerships, Investments, and Company Innovation
FedEx is launching a company-wide “AI literacy” program, which is expected to help upskill 400,000 workers globally in AI. Through its ongoing partnership with Accenture, FedEx is giving workers access to personalized and role-based training as AI becomes more embedded in the organization’s working processes.
Microsoft is partnering with the National Association of Workforce Boards to offer free AI training to workforce development organizations across the country. Through this partnership, Microsoft and the NAWB have developed a series of LinkedIn Learning courses on everyday workforce applications for AI aligned to the U.S. Department of Labor's AI Literacy Framework; the collaboration includes courses for job seekers, career coaches, and workforce agency administrators.
What We’re Reading (And Listening To)
US Department of Labor Launches ‘Make America AI-Ready’ Initiative [U.S. Department of Labor]
An Earn-and-Learn Model Closes Skills Gap [Chronicle of Higher Education, subscription model]
The stay-at-home boyfriend is now an economic trend as more women than men go to work [Fortune, subscription model]
Preparing America’s Workforce for the Impact of AI [Bipartisan Policy Center]
Top leadership experts sound the alarm on the AI doomsday: bosses are choosing tech over people [Fortune, subscription model]
The Most Successful Leaders Never Stop Learning [Harvard Business Review, subscription model]
This edition of “New Skills, Talent and Development” was drafted by Zoe Almeida and Annie Han and edited by Julia Pasette-Seamon and Erica Price Burns.