This week, we’re covering:
Workforce and Labor Trends, By the Numbers
To Rebuild the College-to-Work Pipeline, Connect the Systems That Already Exist
Betting on Apprenticeships in a Frozen Labor Market
Partnerships, Investments, and Company Innovation
What We’re Reading (And Listening To)
Workforce and Labor Trends, By the Numbers
73% of U.S. workers surveyed cited increased salary as one of their important priorities for the coming year. Workers expect the economic environment to become more challenging, according to Monster’s 2026 WorkWatch Report. [HR Dive]
59% of companies report that they frame AI as the driver of layoffs or hiring slowdowns because it appeals more to stakeholders than citing budget constraints, per a new report from Resume.org. [HR Dive]
91,000 workers left the labor force in December, according to a new analysis by the National Women’s Law Center. 10,000 men entered during that same month, offsetting some of the decline in women’s employment. [Fast Company]
The average age of new hires was 42 years old in 2025, up from 40.5 in 2022 and 40 in 2016. Meanwhile, hiring workers 25 and younger has decreased 45% compared with 2019. [Washington Post, subscription model]
To Rebuild the College-to-Work Pipeline, Connect the Systems That Already Exist
The traditional “college-to-work” pipeline is breaking down because colleges, students, and employers operate in disconnected systems and rarely share high-quality, real-time labor market signals. Dana Stephenson, co-founder and CEO at Riipen, and Dr. Kemi Jona, vice provost for online education and digital innovation at the University of Virginia, argue that employers and institutions can rebuild the pipeline. By improving data flow and feedback loops, Stephenson and Dr. Jona believe that states and institutions could reduce talent mismatches, make expectations for skills and credentials clearer, and help more graduates transition into careers. [Real Clear Education]
Betting on Apprenticeships in a Frozen Labor Market
The Trump administration’s $145 million bet on its “Pay for Apprenticeship” programs could be a strong step to supporting job placements and retention in a stagnant labor market, according to Zach Boren, senior vice president of policy and government relations at Apprenticeships for America. By emphasizing accountability and employer demand, this approach could help apprenticeships scale beyond niche status and offer more workers debt-free, high-earning career pathways. Still, the success of this effort will likely depend on sustained congressional investment and a broader shift away from the long-standing college-first bias in U.S. education and workforce policy. [Real Clear Education]
Partnerships, Investments, and Company Innovation
A global PwC survey found that only 10-12% of companies are seeing meaningful benefits as a result of AI adoption on the revenue or cost side; 56% of companies reported they are seeing no benefit at all. [Fortune, subscription model]
Opportunity@Work has partnered with labor market analytics firm Lightcast on new functionality within Lightcast to help users more easily see jobs that may be a good match for individuals Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARS). Lightcast and Opportunity@Work hope the new filter will allow hiring managers to focus on skills required for a job, rather than falling back on proxies like degree.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is partnering with Roane State Community College and the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology to build a nuclear workforce pipeline to meet growing industry demand in Tennessee and beyond. The initiative includes pilot 15- and 30-hour nuclear technology programs that provide foundational learning and practical, hands-on lab experience, with stackable credentials that let learners progress from technical certificates to higher degrees.
What We’re Reading (And Listening To)
Eightfold suit highlights the legal risks of AI in hiring [HR Executive]
Why AI skills are the new gold standard for job seekers [Fast Company]
Why Training Employees Pays Off Twice [Harvard Business Review, subscription model]
McKinsey CEO Bob Sternfels says the firm now has 60,000 employees: 25,000 of them are AI agents [Business Insider, subscription model]
What Is College for in the Age of AI? [New York Magazine, subscription model]
🎧Skilled labor scarcity [Marketplace]
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.