News Archives

The Jobs Report Says One Thing. Workforce Professionals Are Seeing Another.

The latest jobs report delivered good news. Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, significantly exceeding expectations. Unemployment remained low at 4.3 percent. On the surface, the labor market appears healthy. Yet if you spend time talking with workforce professionals, employers, and job seekers, you may hear a different story. Many job seekers report that finding […]

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The Workforce Sector That Keeps Growing

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If you have been following the labor market over the past year, you may have noticed something interesting. No matter what is happening elsewhere in the economy, one sector keeps showing up in the job growth numbers: healthcare. The latest employment reports once again show healthcare among the leading sources of new jobs. In fact,

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Why Hiring Challenges Are About More Than Wages

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When employers struggle to fill open positions, the conversation often turns to wages. The assumption is straightforward: if employers paid more, they would attract more applicants and hiring would become easier. A new study published in the European Economic Review suggests the reality may be far more complex. Researchers examined hiring behavior using survey data

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Make Better Workforce Decisions with Better Data — Webinar Tomorrow

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Hosted by the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP)Presenter: Monica Dukes, U.S. Census Bureau Date: May 13, 2026Time: 2:00 PM Eastern | 1:00 PM Central | 12:00 PM Mountain | 11:00 AM Pacific Every day, workforce professionals are expected to make important decisions based on changing labor market conditions, economic trends, and community needs. Yet

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Workforce Trends Roundup — May 2026 Feature Edition

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Executive Summary The U.S. labor market in 2026 is stable on the surface but rapidly evolving underneath. Employers are refining hiring strategies, technology is reshaping job roles, and demographic pressures are intensifying. For members of the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP)—especially front‑line workforce staff—these shifts highlight the importance of adaptability, strong employer engagement, and

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The Workforce Professional of 2030 May Look More Like a Systems Coach Than a Case Manager

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For years, workforce development has often been described through the language of programs, eligibility, case files, and placements. Those things still matter. They are part of the work. But something larger has been happening quietly underneath the surface. The role itself is changing. Many workforce professionals today are already doing far more than traditional case

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$100 Million Bet on “Good Jobs”: What It Signals for Workforce Professionals

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A recent announcement from the Rockefeller Foundation highlights a significant new investment in the future of work: a $100 million, three-year initiative aimed at connecting Americans to “good jobs” in the face of rapid economic and technological change. At first glance, this may read like another large-scale funding announcement. But for workforce professionals, it signals

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Workforce Pell Is Coming: What It Means for Front-Line Staff

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You’re going to start seeing a shift in the people you serve — and in the questions they ask. Workforce Pell is opening the door for people to use Pell Grants for short-term training programs. That means more individuals will be able to pay for training without going through the usual workforce funding process. And

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How Workers Are Training Themselves — And What It Means for Workforce Development Professionals

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Workers aren’t waiting for programs to catch up. Right now, millions of people are quietly building new skills on their own time, using tools that are mostly free, mostly online, and mostly invisible to the workforce development system. As practitioners, that matters — because it’s changing who walks through your door and what they actually

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AI, Apprenticeships, and a Shift the Workforce System Shouldn’t Miss

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When most people think about Registered Apprenticeships, the image is still tied to traditional trades—roles with long-established pathways and clear progression. That remains true. But it is no longer the full picture. A recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Labor signals something important: apprenticeships are moving directly into the world of artificial intelligence. Not

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