What We're Reading: New Skills, Talent, and Development [Thursday, October 16, 2025]

New research from Yale says AI isn’t putting human jobs at risk; however, a recent global survey suggests otherwise. Nearly half of supervisors said that AI adoption has allowed them to lower headcount. Also, almost 40% of employers shared that AI adoption has allowed them to cut entry-level roles, and an analysis of company reports from participating employers found “automation” mentioned seven times more often than “upskilling” or “retraining.” [CNN; The Guardian]

Almost 70% of workers would prefer professional development over a pay raise, according to Robert Half research conducted in the United Kingdom. Participants identified structured learning, certification, or digital upskilling opportunities as more important to them than salary. [Yahoo! Finance]

On Tuesday, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signed an executive order launching the Good Life, Great Careers Initiative to establish career pathways for youth in the state. The initiative aims to create new and strengthen existing apprenticeship programs, with the goal of enrolling 6,000 new registered apprentices in Nebraska by the end of 2030. The order creates Nebraska’s new Office of Registered Apprenticeship, which will serve as a state hub for apprenticeship work, among other initiatives. 

 The World Economic Forum predicts that about half of the 3.8 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. expected to emerge by 2033 will go unfilled. Jobs for the Future (JFF) CEO Maria Flynn argues in Fast Company that the lack of interest in manufacturing jobs is indicative of a greater PR problem for professional pathways that don’t rely on a four-year degree. This is reflected in JFF’s Voices of Gen Z Study, conducted in partnership with Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation, which found that most parents of high school-age children know “a great deal” about earning a bachelor’s degree or finding a job, while only 1 in 10 say they know a great deal about alternative pathways like earning a short term certificate, starting a business, or joining the military.

The number of Americans working in data centers almost doubled between 2016-2023, creating concerns about a pipeline of potential workers. Education Design Lab, with backing from the Charles Koch Foundation, recently created the Texas Flywheel Initiative to build a sustainable talent pipeline for data centers in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, industry leaders, and educational institutions. Education Design Lab’s senior ecosystem designer, Leah Ben-Ami, says that to succeed in the sector companies need to think beyond just hiring talent: “We want to make sure that we can retain the employees. We’re trying to give them tangible skills they can really showcase.” [WorkShift]

Google’s Grow with Google is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to give $5 million in AI training to up to 40,000 entrepreneurs. Small Business B(AI)sics will offer workshops and online courses designed to teach owners how to use AI tools to streamline tasks across operations, including marketing, budgeting, and inventory management. [Black Enterprise]

Alabama state leaders are partnering with Ed Farm, Alabama Power, and the Apple Foundation in a new statewide digital education initiative called the Alabama Digital Education Network (ADEN). Backed by $16 million investment from the state, ADEN aims to expand digital learning access and build workforce skills across Alabama, particularly in rural and underserved areas. It will establish community-based “learning hubs” in collaboration with local institutions such as libraries and community centers. [Birmingham Business Journal, subscription model]

More than 17,000 job cuts this year have been explicitly attributed to AI, according to a recent report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Most of these cuts were made in the second half of 2025, with 7,000 of those cuts happening in September. These disruptions are mostly happening across the tech industry, making it particularly difficult for entry-level engineers to find positions in the current market. [HR Dive]

Recent shifts in U.S. immigration policy are creating confusion and hardship for employers, including fee hikes for H-1B visas and new rules requiring visa renewals to be processed in an immigrant’s country of origin. Small and medium employers are especially burdened, lacking dedicated legal teams to interpret these frequent changes to immigration policies and procedures. Legal experts recommend that companies proactively support affected workers, designate a point person for immigration issues, and stay updated on administrative and court-ordered changes to avoid compliance risks. [HR Brew]

At the first annual Governor’s Workforce Summit in October, governors across the United States focused on how they are using executive orders and legislation to revamp state workforce programs. Some of these efforts include creating interagency teams focused on workforce development and agencies, and establishing strategic frameworks for workforce development governance and policymaking. The aim is to create more agile, responsive systems that better serve employers, workers, and students by aligning training, education, and labor market needs across state structures.

According to a new report from recruiting platform Monster, nearly 70% of U.S. employees surveyed don’t want to discuss politics at work, as navigating political discussions in today’s polarized environment creates tension in the workplace. These conversations, often taking place in informal conversations with colleagues or interactions with clients, can lead to discomfort and even risk job turnover, with 59% saying that talking about politics could have a negative effect on their career. [HR Dive]