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?” […]
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
Human Capacity Under Stress: Rethinking Workforce Design for Real-World Conditions Read More »
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
$81 Million for Reentry Workforce Programs — And Why You Should Pay Attention Read More »
If you work in an American Job Center or a state workforce agency, you already see it. More of the customers walking through the door — or logging into virtual services — are 55 and older. The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s recent report (GAO-26-107439) puts data behind what many of us experience every day: older
What GAO’s Latest Report Means for Serving Older Jobseekers Read More »
For decades, the International Association of Workforce Professionals has focused on supporting frontline staff. That work remains central to who we are. At the same time, many of the most important workforce outcomes are shaped at the leadership level—by agency directors and workforce boards making decisions about strategy, employer engagement, funding priorities, and performance expectations.
Seeing the Decision: A New Brief for Workforce Leaders Read More »
On the surface, the labor market looks steady. Jobs are being added. Unemployment isn’t surging. Nothing dramatic. But if you work directly with jobseekers, you know the real story shows up in conversations, not headlines. People are applying and not hearing back. Interviews stretch out. Offers take longer. Some industries feel active; others feel frozen.
The Latest Jobs Report & What It Means for the People Sitting Across From You Read More »
Artificial intelligence, automation, hybrid work, and demographic change are often discussed at the policy or executive level. But these forces do not operate in abstraction. They show up in intake conversations, case notes, employer meetings, training referrals, and follow-up calls. Frontline workforce staff are where macro forces become real. If systems are to adapt successfully,
The International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) will host a live webinar featuring Ben Armstrong, Executive Director of MIT’s Industrial Performance Center and co-leader of the Work of the Future initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This session will examine what generative AI is actually doing inside organizations—beyond headlines and speculation. Drawing from the
What MIT Is Learning About AI and Workforce Change A Live IAWP Webinar Read More »
As workforce development professionals, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections for 2024–34 give us a decade-long view of where jobs are expected to grow, where they’re likely to shrink, and what that implies for training, planning, and employer engagement. Here’s the bottom-line: • Overall job growth will be modest. The U.S. economy is projected
What the New BLS Long-Term Job Projections Mean for Workforce Development Read More »
Over the past year, Job Corps has gone through a level of uncertainty that most long-standing workforce programs rarely face. At one point, many centers were preparing for closure. Today, the program is still operating—but with some important caveats that workforce professionals should be aware of. So, what actually happened? In 2025, the Department of
Job Corps: Where Things Stand and Why It Matters to the Workforce System Read More »