News Archives

The Barriers We Keep Talking About—And Still Haven’t Solved

If you spend any time reading the latest workforce research—or just talking to people doing the work on the ground—you start to notice a pattern. Different reports. Different regions. Different populations. Same conclusion. The biggest barriers to work right now aren’t just about skills. They’re structural. Childcare. Transportation. And something we don’t talk about enough—process […]

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We’re Still Teaching Job Search Like It’s 2005

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For years, we’ve given job seekers a familiar set of instructions. Write a strong resume.Craft a compelling cover letter.Apply online.Prepare for the interview. It’s clean, logical, and easy to teach. It’s also increasingly out of sync with how hiring actually works. That doesn’t mean these tools are useless. It means they’re no longer the center

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The Real Shift in Workforce Development Isn’t New Programs—It’s Integration

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For years, workforce development has been defined by programs. Training programs. Placement programs. Specialized initiatives designed to solve specific problems. When something didn’t work, the instinct was often to build something new—another program, another pilot, another layer added to an already complex system. But something more fundamental is beginning to change. The most significant shift

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The Intake Bottleneck: Redesigning First Contact to Keep Jobseekers Engaged

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Most workforce professionals have seen this moment. A jobseeker reaches out for help—walking into an American Job Center, logging onto a portal, or making a call—hoping for direction. Instead, they encounter a long intake appointment, repeated questions, and a request to come back later before any real assistance begins. Many never return. As one federal

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Bipartisan Legislation Proposes National Commission on AI’s Economic and Workforce Impacts

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A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced legislation that could shape how the nation prepares for the workforce implications of artificial intelligence. The proposed Economy of the Future Commission Act, introduced by Mark Warner (D-VA) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), would establish a national commission charged with examining how AI is likely to reshape the

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Unlocking Workforce Insights with the American Community Survey (ACS)

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Hosted by the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP)Presenter: Monica Dukes, Data Dissemination Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau Date: May 13, 2026Time: 2:00 PM Eastern | 1:00 PM Central | 12:00 PM Mountain | 11:00 AM Pacific At some point in nearly every workforce planning meeting, someone asks questions such as: What does our labor force

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AI and the Workforce: Key Takeaways from an IAWP Webinar with MIT

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At a recent IAWP webinar, workforce professionals had the opportunity to hear from Ben Armstrong, Executive Director of the Industrial Performance Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-leader of MIT’s Work of the Future Initiative. Armstrong leads research examining how technology affects productivity, skills, and workforce demand across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, finance,

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Workforce Development Professionals: What AI Is Changing Inside Jobs—Join Us Next Tuesday

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On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, IAWP will host a live webinar featuring Ben Armstrong, Executive Director of the Industrial Performance Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-leader of MIT’s Work of the Future initiative. For workforce development professionals, this conversation is especially timely. Across regions, clients are asking: “Will AI replace my job?”

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Human Capacity Under Stress: Rethinking Workforce Design for Real-World Conditions

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Workforce development has historically focused on skills. Credentials. Career pathways. Sector strategies. Those still matter. But increasingly, the limiting factor in workforce outcomes is not technical capability — it is human capacity under stress. Mental health is not a side issue. It directly affects labor force participation, training completion, interview performance, and retention. When participants

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$81 Million for Reentry Workforce Programs — And Why You Should Pay Attention

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The U.S. Department of Labor has announced $81 million in RESTART grants aimed at helping formerly incarcerated individuals move into skilled trades, advanced manufacturing, and Registered Apprenticeships. At first glance, this may look like another competitive funding opportunity. But for those working in workforce development, this is more than a grant cycle. It is a

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