AGP Executive Report

Workforce Training: Cenovus Energy, with the Lima Chamber Foundation and The Hub, is hosting a free open house for a Process Operations Certificate aimed at launching petrochemical careers in Ohio. AI Skills Gap: Pearson and AWS say many students use AI tools but far fewer get practical training for real workplace use, leaving small businesses to deal with a skills mismatch. Social Security Coverage: A new look at India’s 2026 social security push highlights that only about 10% of workers are covered, leaving hundreds of millions in informal work without pensions or unemployment buffers. Wage Policy & Worker Rights: Delta State (Nigeria) approved making 13th-month pay permanent and plans teacher recruitment; in Switzerland, unions are pushing a referendum against minimum-wage rules they say would weaken protections for low-paid workers. Employment Mobility: Portugal’s social security data shows a sharp rise in migrant workers who stopped contributing in 2025, with departures accelerating. Education & Early Entrepreneurship: Assam is promoting school-based entrepreneurship training, citing a student who started mushroom cultivation after a program. Legal/Compliance: The UK Supreme Court dismissed BlueCrest’s appeal over “salaried member” LLP tax rules, a reminder for employers and advisers to get classification right. Care Sector Reform: MPs in England urged adult social care reforms to be delivered before 2028, warning against delays into the next election cycle.

Youth Careers Policy: California’s AB 2324 heads to the governor, aiming to turn youth caregiving into recognized college-and-career credits by folding real caregiving skills into career technical education. Labor Market Data: St. Maarten restarts its Labor Force Survey after an eight-year gap, with results expected to reshape unemployment and workforce planning. Wage & Benefits Rules: India clarifies EPF/“voluntary” treatment for contributions above the ₹1,800 monthly ceiling under the EPF Scheme 2026, while Germany tightens sick-leave rules and raises retirement age under a broad relaunch plan. Job Creation & Skills: China plans to add 12 new occupations (from digital twin engineers to AI agent developers) as emerging industries expand hiring. Green Jobs: A World Bank report argues cleaner growth can generate more jobs per unit of pollution, boosting sectors like forestry. Targeted Employment Support: The Philippines’ Dole says 1,040 fisherfolk completed 20 days of work under Tupad after a Mindanao earthquake, with P9.8M in wages distributed.

US jobs update: June payrolls rose by 57,000 and the unemployment rate slipped to 4.2%, but revisions to prior months and a weaker leisure-and-hospitality hiring picture are adding caution for workers and employers. Wage policy: Philippines lawmakers and labor officials are reacting to Metro Manila’s P85 daily minimum-wage hike, with calls to extend similar increases beyond NCR. Rural employment push (India): The VB-G RAM-G scheme is rolling out with a 125-day rural jobs guarantee and a ₹300 daily wage floor, plus faster payment rules and participation targets. Worker fraud crackdown: Mumbai police arrested 11 over a fake airline job call-centre scam that allegedly cheated job seekers after they paid “processing” fees. Careers & training: Kenya and Italy signed a migration and mobility MoU aimed at lawful employment pathways, skills development, and protection for migrant workers. Education-to-employment: Srinivas Institute of Technology in Mangaluru earned an AAA rating in Careers360’s best engineering institutes survey, citing placements and graduate outcomes. Workplace rights: EEOC warns pre-employment health questionnaires may violate GINA, urging employers to review hiring practices.

Jobs & Wages: The U.S. June jobs report is due Thursday, with economists expecting steady hiring but wage growth still lagging inflation. Minimum Wage Pushback: Australia’s minimum wage rise to $26.44/hour (plus super changes) is already raising cost fears for SMEs, with some owners warning they may exit. EEOC Update: The U.S. EEOC rescinded guidance on permissible affirmative action, signaling employers should re-check DEI and hiring practices. Rural Employment: India’s VB-G RAM G rollout is set to guarantee 125 days of rural work with a ₹300 daily wage floor, but labor groups and lawmakers are debating whether it’s enough. Local Labor Tensions: Punjab’s Suthra Punjab sanitation workers protested unpaid salaries and promised bonuses, disrupting traffic. Workforce Development: Qatar’s QCDC opened registration for “My Career – My Future” job-shadowing for high schoolers, while the UK’s University of Lincoln launched an immersive Crime Scene House to tackle forensic shortages. Hiring News: USAntibiotics will host a July 8 career fair for manufacturing roles.

Rural Jobs Wage Fight: India’s VB-G RAM G rural employment rollout hits political turbulence as Congress and others argue the Rs 300/day floor is too low versus calls for Rs 375, spotlighting how wage rules shape real hiring outcomes. Workforce Policy & Pay Transparency: Kuwait moves to “Kuwaitize” supervisory roles in cooperative societies, opening Aug. 1 registration for 45 positions—an HR shift that could reshape hiring pipelines and expatriate staffing. Career Discovery & Local Hiring: Nashville’s Metro departments host a July 23 career fair at the Farmers Market, while Perry County’s clerk runs a summer program giving teens hands-on government work experience. AI Recruiting Reality Check: A new traffic analysis finds generative AI drives only about 1.07% of visits to employer career sites, led by ChatGPT—useful for discoverability, but not replacing search and job boards. Training-to-Work Funding: Wisconsin’s Workforce Pell grant is set to expand federal aid for short-term career training, but rollout timing and approved programs may take time. Workplace Rights in Court: An employment dispute involving overtime/allowances and record-keeping ends with the company winning and the claim dismissed early, underscoring how contract wording can decide pay outcomes.

Minimum Wage Push (Philippines): Metro Manila’s P85 daily minimum wage hike rolls out in two steps (P60 on July 19, P25 on Jan. 20), with officials calling it “historic” while labor groups and stakeholders question the cost impact. Rural Jobs Overhaul (India): India replaces MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G from July 1, boosting the guarantee from 100 to 125 days and setting a ₹300/day floor, alongside new rules on durable assets and added transparency. Pay Transparency & Wage Boards (Philippines): A lawmaker urges regional wage boards to follow NCR’s lead so nearby provinces aren’t left behind as living costs rise. Workplace Rights (Australia): A court rejected a union’s “waiting time” pay claim after redundancies, but still found the employer underpaid wages and failed notice pay. AI Governance (UN): UN-backed experts warn AI capabilities are moving faster than governance, calling for better coordination between developers, states, and science. Safety Inspections (South Korea): Labor authorities launch emergency checks at 1,000 factories after repeated machine entrapment accidents. Career Pathways (Pakistan): Pakistan funds a Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection with a PKR 1 billion allocation to expand decent work and formalize the economy. Youth Employment (Nigeria): Nigeria’s NYSC gets its biggest reform in decades: longer orientation, specialized career streams, and a shift toward civilian control.

Wage Pressure in Metro Manila: Philippines labor groups are blasting the “historic” P85 daily minimum wage hike as too small and rolled out in two tranches (P60 on July 19, P25 in Jan. 2027), arguing it won’t keep up with food, transport, housing, and utility costs. Disability Employment Pipeline: Kuwait is touting its “Partners to Employ Them” initiative, citing a 97.6% job retention rate for graduates and expanding training-to-work pathways for people with disabilities. Workforce Funding for Retraining: Kentucky’s Lincoln Trail Workforce Development Board won a three-year dislocated worker grant to retrain nearly 300 laid-off workers, including those affected by BlueOval SK’s shutdown. Career Access via Education Grants: California is awarding $9.75M to expand certificate and apprenticeship programs tied to in-demand fields like healthcare and advanced manufacturing. ADA Lawsuit: The EEOC says The Salvation Army violated the ADA by denying an employee cancer-related accommodation and forcing her to resign. Hiring & Skills for Youth: Liberia launched youth employment and digital skills partnerships, aiming for thousands of jobs and 15 digital hubs. Career Mobility in Sports: LeBron James is leaving the Lakers for free agency, while Buffalo hired former Bruins Milan Lucic as a pro scout.

Minimum Wage Fight (Philippines): Metro Manila’s “historic” P85 daily minimum wage hike (from P695 to P780) starts in two steps—P60 on July 19, 2026 and P25 in January 2027—but labor groups say it’s still “crumbs” against rising food, transport, housing, and utilities, and that staggered payments ignore how bills must be paid in full. Labor Policy Pressure (Philippines): Union leaders also argue the wage board increase could be used by employers to block a nationwide legislated wage hike, calling for Congress to raise salaries through law. Workforce Access (Bangladesh): Bangladesh plans district- and upazila-level employment exchanges to match job seekers with vacancies and close skill gaps, as part of a broader push to expand employment nationwide. Skills-to-Job Pipeline (U.S.): Vermont Business Magazine reports CVHHH is launching a paid Licensed Nursing Assistant training program in August 2026, covering certification fees and aiming to move trainees into full-time healthcare roles. Youth Entrepreneurship (South Africa): South Africa’s Trade, Industry and Competition department backs initiatives supporting youth-owned enterprises, highlighting how targeted support can create jobs in rural areas.

Workforce Training & Hiring: Vermont’s Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is launching its first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant training in August, covering certification fees and aiming to move trainees into full-time roles. Paid Micro-Internships: Indiana University Northwest is helping employers like CorePlacement use Parker Dewey micro-internships to give students paid, short work stints that double as hiring tests. SNAP-to-Work Support: Oregon’s SNAP Employment and Training program reports strong outcomes, with many participants moving into jobs and education after navigating SNAP work rules. Disability Employment: Kuwait’s “Partners for Their Employment” program says it’s reached 481 beneficiaries with high job retention, while Bulgaria’s EU social policy talks focused on labor mobility, poverty reduction, and worker protections. Education-to-Work Policy: A new $1M Pennsylvania dual-credit grant will expand college-level coursework for rural and underserved students, covering tuition, books, transport, and instructor training. HR Compliance Watch: Attorneys urge employers to keep EEO-1 processes even as the EEOC considers ending demographic reporting. Career Pathways Debate: A piece on India’s higher-ed “maze” argues employability has shifted from access to navigation—more exams and credentials, more queues.

Workforce Training: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is launching its first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) training in August 2026, covering classroom and clinical prep, certification fees, and a path to full-time roles after candidates pass. Wage Policy: California employers in multiple LA-area cities must update payroll for local minimum wage hikes starting July 1, including unincorporated areas ($18.47) and Pasadena ($18.57), with hotel workers in West Hollywood also seeing another increase. EU Jobs Agenda: Ireland’s EU Council presidency will host an informal EU Employment and Social Affairs ministers meeting in Ballina on July 6, aiming to shape shared employment and social policy priorities. Heat & Safety at Work: Vietnam’s outdoor workers face rising heatwave risks, but experts say social protection implementation has major gaps. Employment Fraud: A U.S. case accuses two temporary staffing firms of failing to remit $1.13M in withheld Social Security and Medicare taxes. Inclusion at Work: A WEF-linked report says corporate inclusion is shifting toward neurodiversity, mental health, and socioeconomic mobility, but managers still lack confidence supporting neurodivergent employees.

Workforce Risk & Career Readiness: A new survey warns long-term employees can get hit hardest by layoffs when they assume loyalty equals job security, calling it a “loyalty tax” that leaves people under-prepared. Training-to-Employment Pipeline: Vermont’s Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is launching its first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant training in August 2026, covering certification fees and aiming to hire graduates full-time. Healthcare Pay Pressure: Nigeria’s resident doctors group issued a 21-day ultimatum over unpaid salaries and allowances, warning of possible industrial action. Adult Education & Skills: Pima County’s adult education and workforce training programs report hundreds of GED completions and thousands entering career pathways. Minimum Wage Debate: A U.S. opinion piece argues minimum wage hikes are a numbers problem, citing mixed research on job impacts. Scam Alert: BBB reports employment scams are rising, including task-based “like and subscribe” schemes that can lead to ID theft. Local Hiring Push: Japan’s Hamamatsu job expo drew 3,700 students to keep young workers from leaving the region.

Workforce Training: Vermont’s Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is launching its first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant training in August 2026, covering certification fees and aiming to move graduates into full-time roles. Youth & Career Readiness: The US Embassy in Cairo wrapped up its English for Career Readiness and AI Literacy program for 240 students and professionals, mixing workplace English, AI skills, and employer networking. Hiring & Fair Pay: Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower says a director linked to months of unpaid wages for 407 workers has returned, is assisting investigations, and has had his passport impounded. Graduate Jobs Pressure: Tanzania universities are rolling out new strategies to tackle graduate unemployment as skills don’t match what employers need. Small Business Jobs Engine: Hyderabad’s World MSME Day push highlighted MSMEs as a major employment driver and urged more investment to reduce inequality. Work-Life Balance: A Hyderabad civil engineer’s viral post on six-day work weeks is reigniting debate on labor laws and employee well-being. Social Policy & Child Safety: A Philippine lawmaker urged tighter social media rules for minors after a school shooting, pointing to Australia’s under-16 restrictions. Adult Care Careers: Bridlington is set to host a recruitment fair for adult social care roles under a program designed to create clear routes into employment.

Workforce Training: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is taking applications for its first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant training, starting August 2026, with certification fees covered and a path to full-time roles. Overseas Worker Support: Mactan-Cebu International Airport opened an OFW Lounge and Facilitation Center with DMW and OWWA services, including OFW e-Card printing, to streamline travel for Filipinos abroad. Employment Policy: Moldova’s Labour Minister says a vacation allowance calculation change starting Jan. 1, 2027 won’t reduce pay for new leave, shifting the formula to match working-day value. Wage & Housing Pressure: Idaho’s housing market is “frozen” as high prices outpace local incomes, keeping many households priced out. Career Access & Fairness: Ghana’s GAIEC urged students to use only accredited, regulated education agents to avoid fraud and costly mistakes. Small-Business Growth: Nigeria’s Tinubu approved free formalization and corporate registration for 250,000 MSMEs to cut financial and bureaucratic barriers. Global Skills & Jobs: Mastercard Foundation challenged AIMS Ghana’s Class of 2026 to treat graduation as the start of lifelong employment and problem-solving.

Workforce Training: Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is taking applications for its first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant training, starting August 2026, with certification fees covered and a path to full-time roles. Youth Skills & Career Access: The Urban League of Essex County is running a free six-week STEAM camp (July 6–Aug 14) for ages 11–13, with hands-on 3D printing, coding, and filmmaking. Higher Ed Funding: Idaho State University’s College of Business received a $3M gift to expand its MBA program, aiming to boost scholarships, tech, and classroom upgrades. Employment & Wages Policy: Ireland confirmed payment details for a Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, automatically reaching 109,000 families starting July 13. AI & Jobs: New research says AI is already shifting hiring patterns in the U.S., with high-risk roles seeing weaker growth while lower-risk jobs rise. Workplace Culture: A survey finds many Canadians feel guilty or delay vacation plans, with a large share checking work messages while off. Career Pathways: Pickaway WORKS is building fall workforce pipelines by connecting employers with high school students for work-based learning.

Workforce Training & Career Pathways: Oregon’s Camp Ready2Respond brought 130+ high school students into hands-on disaster response and workforce training, building skills in construction, culinary, medical/safety, and emergency communications while producing real shelter units. Education-to-Workforce Partnerships: Yadkin County LINKS won $10,000 to expand 3D printing and a welding simulator, linking students to local industry credentials. Community Colleges & Student Success: North Hennepin Community College highlighted trade pathway completions and honor society recognition, plus a student-led marketing win that shows how campus support can turn into real career experience. Hiring & Public Service Jobs: Meade County is recruiting a full-time E-911 Telecommunicator with set pay, benefits, and a July 10 deadline. Career Transitions: Tracks Employment Services offers targeted support for people returning to work after a career break, focusing on reframing resume gaps and translating transferable skills. Labor & Pay Pressure: Teachers in Turkey protested for a guaranteed minimum wage and stronger employment rights, underscoring ongoing workplace insecurity. Healthcare Careers: Vermont’s Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is launching its first paid LNA training program with certification support and a path to full-time roles. Rehabilitation Support: Malaysia’s AADK urged corporate and NGO partners to help clients rebuild lives after rehab, focusing on guidance and post-release opportunities.

Workforce Training & Hiring: Vermont’s Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is launching its first paid Licensed Nursing Assistant training in August 2026, covering certification fees and aiming to move graduates into full-time roles. Job Access for the Long-Term Unemployed: UK retailer Lidl will reserve 1 in 10 interview slots at new stores for people unemployed 6+ months, fast-tracking them to interview without a CV via DWP and Restart. Career Pathways in Education: Grambling State University and Southern University Law Center unveil a 3+3 accelerated law program to cut time and costs to a law degree. Youth Employment Support: Youth Inspire in New Zealand says its 10-week employability programme helped teens feel more confident about work and work-experience. Minimum Wage Push: Connecticut senators introduce a bill to more than triple the federal minimum wage toward $25/hour. Skills & TVET Investment: Nigeria’s NABTEB boss calls for more investment in technical and vocational education to tackle unemployment and skills gaps. Workplace Compliance & Professional Standards: A Birmingham NHS bank nurse is suspended for six months after discriminatory social media posts.