This week, we’re covering:
Workforce and Labor Trends, By the Numbers
Long-term Unemployment is Surging in the U.S.
CodePath Joins Forces with Anthropic to Support Nonprofit AI Adoption
Partnerships, Investments, and Company Innovation
What We’re Reading (And Listening To)
Workforce and Labor Trends, By the Numbers
Verified artificial intelligence certifications are driving career growth, according to HR firm Randstad. Workers that hold those credentials reported that they earn promotions more than three times faster than their peers; 25% received a salary boost. [HR Dive]
172,000 jobs were added in May, with gains focused in leisure and hospitality, local government, and healthcare. [HR Brew]
In a new Deloitte survey, only 6% of Gen Z and millennial workers said achieving a leadership position was a top priority in their career, with many citing fear of stress, burnout, and how it would harm work-life balance. [Fortune, subscription model]
Long-Term Unemployment Is Surging in the U.S.
A growing share of Americans are experiencing long-term unemployment even though the overall labor market appears healthy. More than 1.8 million people have been unemployed for at least 27 weeks on average in 2026—about 45% higher than in 2019 and 55% higher than in 2023. Long-term unemployed workers now make up roughly one-quarter of all unemployed Americans. [CNBC]
CodePath Joins Forces with Anthropic to Support Nonprofit AI Adoption
CodePath is partnering with Anthropic to launch a new fellowship program aimed at helping early-career professionals both develop their own skills and support nonprofits’ AI adoption. Supported by a $150 million donation from Anthropic, the Claude Corps program will train and place 1,000 fellows at nonprofits across the U.S. CodePath will serve as the program’s training partner, responsible for delivering training in the use of Anthropic’s large-language model, Claude, and providing ongoing mentorship to fellows throughout their year-long term. [Associated Press]
Partnerships, Investments, and Company Innovation
Meta committed $115 million to launch America’s Workforce Academy, a free five-week program that trains data center technicians and guarantees graduates a job upon completion. Developed with CBRE, Associated Builders and Contractors, and the National Urban League, it covers tuition, housing, and a daily stipend, and requires no prior experience. The academy will pilot in Baton Rouge, LA; Columbus, OH; Indianapolis, IN; and Houston, TX, and prepare workers for electrical, mechanical, and fiber technician roles. [Fortune, subscription model]
Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a $90 million national skilled trades initiative, billed as the first program exclusively connecting high schoolers to direct pathways into Registered Apprenticeships and high-wage trade careers. The initiative will provide free coursework and paid on-the-job training to roughly 15,000 students across nine regions, moving 2,000 into Registered Apprenticeships in fields like electrical, HVAC, plumbing, welding, and auto tech.
What We’re Reading (And Listening To)
U.S. Department of Education Announces Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge Semifinalists [U.S. Department of Education]
High-Tech Seeks Skilled Tradesmen [The Wall Street Journal, subscription model]
🎧 Steve Odland on governing AI in an age of uncertainty [Managing the Future of Work Podcast]
On Internships, Dartmouth Gets It Wrong [RealClearEducation]
Paying for Training [Work Shift]
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.