This week, we’re covering:
Workforce and Labor Trends, By the Numbers
Short-term training programs are slowly being approved for Workforce Pell, with Iowa Central Community College’s Emergency Medical Technician certificate program earning the first approval. Other programs are currently in the approval process, though experts have cautioned that the impact of Workforce Pell in its first year may be relatively small, likely reaching only 184k learners. The relatively narrow qualifications mean that many programs can’t qualify: only 1% of short-term programs from the North Carolina Community College System would meet the standards, for example. [Iowa Capital Dispatch, Work Shift]
One in three workers said they’ve participated in employer-provided AI training in the past six months, despite much higher numbers—over half—reporting regular AI use, according to a survey of 1,300 workers from The Conference Board. [ESG Dive]
The economy shed 23,000 jobs in July, according to the monthly jobs report. Retail trade, local government, and the financial sector led the decline, while health care employment rose.
Do Non-Degree Credentials Lead to Success?
Non-degree credentials such as certificates and licenses are growing rapidly, but their popularity does not necessarily mean they lead to better jobs, higher wages, or economic security. Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Seth Harris argues that workers, employers, colleges, and policymakers lack reliable, credential-level data to determine which programs actually deliver value. To address this information gap, these systems need to build stronger data systems that connect individual credentials to long-term employment and earnings outcomes, with some organizations like CredLens already making meaningful progress. [RealClearEducation]
State Models for Effective Workforce Delivery and System Modernization
Jobs for the Future (JFF) released a new report on how states are using WIOA flexibility to modernize workforce systems and improve service delivery. The report highlights Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio as innovative states working to improve results and re-imagine service delivery. The report also spotlights Utah’s integrated delivery model. JFF argues that these state-led approaches offer Congress a practical roadmap for strengthening workforce systems as they continue WIOA reauthorization efforts.
Partnerships, Investments, and Company Innovation
Apprenticeships for America (AFA) received a $1 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to fund research, state policy advocacy, and field-building work aimed at scaling Registered Apprenticeships. Running through April 2028, the grant will support a new consulting hub that connects apprenticeship intermediaries with technical assistance and a cohort of peer states. The funding will also underwrite a first-of-its-kind state-of-the-field report benchmarking intermediary activity and support a transatlantic knowledge exchange with the UK's Association of Employment and Learning Providers.
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech) in North Carolina is set to receive a $29.2 million federal grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to help build the Western North Carolina Futures Factory, a workforce training and research hub projected to train 800 workers annually, create 2,747 jobs, and generate $189 million in regional labor income by 2035. [Community College Daily]
The Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) program, led by the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), announced new university partnerships with UW-Madison, University of Northern Iowa, Cleveland State, and Texas State to scale hands-on metalworking and manufacturing training through K-12 workshops and high school partnerships. Funded by the Department of War, the additions build toward IACMI’s 2030 plan to grow training to 53 new sites and engage over 50,000 K-12 students.
What We’re Reading (And Listening To)
Your résumé looks like a perfect match. Hiring managers may see that as a red flag [Fortune, subscription model]
This ‘hidden’ career path is in dire need of more workers—and it can pay Gen Z over $300,000 with no degree required [Fortune, subscription model]
Employers Are Hiring For Skills Over Degrees Now. AI Is Why [Forbes, subscription model]
This edition of “New Skills, Talent and Development” was drafted by Annie Han, Ben Clatterbuck, and Ashley Utnage and edited by Julia Pasette-Seamon and Erica Price Burns.