AGP Executive Report

Hiring Pulse: U.S. job openings jumped to 7.6 million in April, the highest in nearly two years, even as hiring stayed cautious—ADP reported May payroll growth of 122,000 and economists still warn the market is stuck in a “low-hire, low-fire” pattern. AI & Work: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang pushed back on AI job-loss fears, saying software engineering headcount is rising as AI boosts productivity; meanwhile, Anthropic’s IPO filing and “AI sticker shock” highlight how fast costs can climb when usage isn’t controlled. Job Search Reality: Indeed launched an ad push, “Jobs Need People,” aiming to make hiring feel more human as ghosting and AI filtering frustrate candidates. Local Hiring & Training: Greensboro’s pop-up fair connects job seekers with employers; Wisconsin State Fair plans a June 6 hiring event; Highmark Stadium will host a June 15 fair for 500 hospitality roles; and St. Paul Schools opened a heavy-equipment “sandbox” to train students for construction careers. Workforce Policy: UAE Skills Platform now serves 200,000 students to align education with labor-market needs, while Canada’s forest-sector push targets high-paying jobs and community stability. Career Growth Stories: A veteran’s recovery journey via VA support, plus a teacher-principal appointment and a financial-planning career pitch underscore how pathways and support systems shape outcomes.

Migrant Worker Scam Case: New Zealand’s Employment Relations Authority ordered Auckland firm 7 Solutions Limited to repay a migrant worker nearly $45,000 after finding he was unlawfully charged for a job and visa, with penalties also hitting the director. Labor Market Watch: The U.S. job market added 7.6 million openings in April—near a two-year high—while hiring stayed cautious, pointing to a “slow-hire, slow-fire” pattern. University Job Cuts: Glasgow Caledonian University staff face walkouts over plans to cut up to 100 posts, with unions warning compulsory redundancies could still be on the table. Higher-Ed Confidence: A UK survey found fewer people believe university is worth the cost, citing student debt and weaker job prospects. Workplace Leave Update (Illinois): A new Illinois law took effect June 1 giving parents unpaid, job-protected NICU leave (10 days for smaller employers; 20 for larger ones). Hiring & Training: Odessa ISD held a career day for education jobs, while AWS’s paid I2PA pre-apprenticeship graduated 20 students into trade pathways. Job-Search Fraud Alerts: Reports highlight rising job scams and fake listings, urging job seekers to verify offers before paying or sharing sensitive info.

Hiring Pulse (US): U.S. job openings jumped to 7.6 million in April, the highest in nearly two years, while quits and layoffs both eased—suggesting a steadier market even as hiring slows. Local Hiring & Staffing: AtWork opened AtWork Charlotte South near Atrium Health Pineville, aiming to connect job seekers with direct-hire roles across multiple sectors. Entry-Level Tech Shift: In Bengaluru, fresh IT hiring is tightening as GCCs and IT services favor candidates with practical skills for AI, cloud, automation, cybersecurity, and data work. Workforce Programs: Sioux Falls expands a $1M-funded adviser program to help low-income students navigate college, training, military, and jobs—especially financial aid. School Bus Driver Shortage: Toledo Public Schools hosts a bus driver “test-drive and interview” event with paid training and benefits. Media Jobs: South Africa’s IOL plans a major recruitment push across editorial, digital, tech, data, and AI roles tied to a large investment expansion. Job-Offer Reality Check: Experts warn job scams are rising, including fake “appointment letters” and “jobs for money” schemes.

Remote Work & Early-Career Hiring: A New York Fed study links higher unemployment for recent college grads to remote work, saying it’s harder to train and mentor new hires outside the office. Youth Job Access: A Columbia, Missouri program is hiring teens for summer work through CARE, even as teen hiring declines nationwide. Job Fairs for Newcomers: Metro Vancouver’s MOSAIC event drew 3,000+ job seekers and 50 employers, aiming to connect immigrants with roles faster. Career Pathways in Education: ETSU was selected for a Rural Student Success Network to boost transfer and workforce outcomes. Workplace Safety: Boeing says it’s strengthening fall protection after a Wichita mechanic died following an on-the-job fall. Mental Health Career Growth: Australia launched a new association to support peer workers with professional development and progression. Hiring & Skills Signals: Wipro’s turnaround push centers on AI-powered, productized delivery—investors will watch execution speed. Scam Watch: BBB warns job scams and task-based fraud are rising, especially targeting online workers.

Education Careers: Philippines’ DepEd is rolling out its Expanded Career Progression system, with Education Secretary Sonny Angara swearing in 956 newly promoted teachers and school heads—aimed at ending “career stagnation” and keeping public teachers from retiring as Teacher I. Job Market & Hiring: A New York Fed analysis links rising unemployment among recent college grads to remote work growth, saying distributed setups can make it harder to train less-experienced hires. AI vs Work: Apollo’s chief economist says there’s “zero evidence” AI is causing net job losses, while Microsoft’s own data suggests AI can be more expensive than hiring humans—fueling a debate over what’s actually changing in hiring. Recruitment Friction: Monster reports job seekers hit a 20-minute breaking point when they can’t tell if a human reviewed their application, driving drop-offs. Workforce Access: PSA-Davao de Oro brought National ID registration to a job fair at Davao de Oro State College to help graduating students and job seekers. Credentialing: Iowa released a new three-tier format for industry-recognized credentials (Tier 1-3) to better match student pathways to high-demand, high-skill, high-wage careers. Scams & Fraud: Bangladesh’s NBR warns of fraud rings selling “jobs for money” tied to Income Tax Wing recruitment. Public Sector Hiring: Florida’s Hillsborough County judicial vacancy is moving through a judicial nominating commission process with applications due June 19. International Jobs: Ghana says 120 job opportunities have been secured for evacuated citizens from South Africa after xenophobic attacks.

Flexible Work Push: A new TUC poll says 1 in 3 parents of kids under seven have left a job due to lack of flexible working, with many requests rejected—fueling calls for employers to advertise and legally consider flexibility. AI Hiring Pressure: ACCA reports India’s workers are more confident in AI-assisted recruitment (52% vs 43% global), but warns “human ownership” is still needed to avoid bias and context-blind decisions. Tech Layoffs: Meta laid off 2,400+ employees, mainly AI-focused software engineers, as the company prioritizes AI—another reminder that hiring and roles are being reshaped fast. Workplace Guidance for Job Seekers: Career advice stories focus on why applicants don’t hear back and how to fix it, plus signs you may have outgrown your role. Career Pathways: Rhode Island’s Life Science Hub and the Pawtucket Foundation launched a healthcare career pathways program for underrepresented communities, pairing training with mentorship and employer connections. Leadership & Talent: AMD CEO Lisa Su told graduates to prioritize human judgment and purpose over just learning AI tools. Local Hiring/School Jobs: Wisconsin and other regions highlight ongoing hiring in schools and public services, including principal and superintendent appointments.

Youth Jobs Pressure: Canada’s youth unemployment keeps climbing, with experts urging job seekers to stay strategic as teens report weeks of “not right now” replies and no callbacks. Teen Hiring Reality Check: A new report says summer teen job openings are headed to their weakest level in decades, pushing teens to look beyond big chains and toward smaller local employers. Protected Family Leave: Illinois becomes only the second US state to offer protected NICU leave, giving eligible parents up to 20 days off starting June 1. Hybrid Work & Hiring Signals: An ACCA report argues hybrid work will dominate, but “intentional” office days will shape hiring decisions. Skills & Training Boost: A $50,000 scholarship donation expands support for technical programs like welding and machine tool tech, while other training efforts keep pointing to trades as a fast path to work. Job Market Scams & AI Risks: Multiple reports warn job hunters about fake offers and AI-powered interview scams as recruitment tools grow more common. Local Job Access: Namibia’s regions are updating databases of unemployed and skilled people to plug gaps into government projects.

Workforce Training: Aurora’s CEJA Workforce Development Hub celebrated its first graduation from a green-energy job training program run by 548 Foundation, placing graduates into first-year apprenticeships in construction and solar systems with industry credentials. Career Switches: A Bengaluru woman went viral after quitting a high-pressure IT job to drive an auto-rickshaw, citing better control over hours and improved mental health. Public Sector Hiring Reform: Punjab approved bills to regularise 65,048 outsourced government employees, aiming to end contract hiring and move workers toward absorption into sanctioned posts. Hiring Integrity & Scams: Authorities warned job seekers to verify recruiters and visas, as online recruitment scams and fake interview setups keep spreading. Mental Health Support: A new men’s mental fitness program in Blackburn and Darwen offers practical sessions led by former rugby professionals, expanding access to support beyond sports. Career Events: Bulgaria’s “Across Five Oceans” forum urged Bulgarians abroad to return and build local business and careers. Local Education Leadership: Union City Area School District principal Dr. Melissa Tomcho announced retirement after 35+ years, leaving a leadership vacancy.

Workforce & Hiring Programs: The UK is rolling out “guaranteed interview” work-experience placements for 300,000 jobless young people over three years, with big-name employers like Gatwick and McDonald’s involved, while Labour also urges some Neets to consider the armed forces instead of university. Local Job Creation: Cambodia’s labour ministry expanded its employment campaign in Pursat with 10,732 openings and warned job seekers to verify overseas recruiters; St. Louis launched an eight-week paid internship push placing about 200 teens into full-time roles at major companies. AI & Jobs: Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani says AI-driven productivity gains should be reinvested to grow business and create new services rather than cut headcount, as broader debate continues over AI’s impact on hiring. Career Pathways in Education: A Marshalltown teacher-return story highlights how local education pipelines can turn graduates into staff, while Jackson State’s new president will receive leadership training during a high-turnover transition. Hiring on the Ground: Meinke Gutter Company in Ohio is hiring a new gutter installer with benefits, and Swindon’s drone-factory recruitment is sparking both apprenticeship pride and defence-linked concern.

Job Scam Warning: Connecticut AG William Tong urged job seekers to watch for recruiter impersonation scams, stressing that legitimate employers won’t ask for payment or sensitive financial info before hiring. Fraud Spike in Hiring: A BBB study found task-based employment scams are surging, with reports doubling in 2025 and median losses around $1,000, including “video booster” schemes. AI and Hiring Reality Check: New research says entry-level hiring at AI-adopting firms has dropped sharply (about 80% per quarter since 2023), raising concerns about talent pipelines even as senior roles grow. Entry-Level Hiring Slowdown: Harvard-linked findings point to “seniority-biased” change as AI automates routine early-career tasks. Workforce Events: UNC Health Pardee will run weekly “Walk-In Wednesdays” hiring events through summer, and Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturing held a Manufacturing Careers Signing Day linking students to interviews. Policy & Training: Modigent highlighted its apprenticeship push to address the skilled-trades gap, while Wales universities warned of ongoing deficits and more job cuts.

AI & Hiring Bias: Ericsson’s former talent lead says AI can reduce bias if employers remove biased language and build fair inputs, warning that any bias fed into systems gets repeated. Job Scams: New BBB data shows employment scams have doubled, with “task-based” offers (like/subscribe) often starting via text and costing victims a median $1,000. Workforce Training & Pathways: Habitat for Humanity’s Operation Fresh Start partnership is helping young adults gain construction skills and direction through its Build Academy. Local Hiring Push: A job mela at Rajamahendravaram’s collectorate will match unemployed youth with multiple employers, with interviews for roles across sectors. Talent Market Shift (Asia): Robert Walters’ Taiwan report finds a move toward candidate-driven hiring, with AI and semiconductor skills driving bigger pay jumps and more focus on learning opportunities. Education-to-Work: Seton Hall launches “Liberal Arts Works” to help students translate skills into interviews and career language.

Pay & Hiring Trends: Indeed Hiring Lab reports salaried pay is rising faster than hourly wages (2.9% vs 1.7%), with hourly roles in IT/software and other STEM seeing negative wage growth—an extra squeeze for early-career workers. Workforce Fraud Watch: Wisconsin BBB says job scams are surging, with “task-based” fraud and text-message offers driving losses; watch for unprompted offers, no interview, and upfront “fees.” Local Hiring Push: Alpharetta, Georgia is hiring certified police officers with a $20,000 sign-on bonus and competitive pay/benefits. Career Pathways for Youth: Pembroke’s Options 2026 skilled trades fair brings students face-to-face with apprenticeships and employers across welding, carpentry, auto repair, and more. Education & Support: Shepherdstown Elementary held its first Career Day in a new school building, pairing students with local professionals; Heartbeat of Hardin County runs a free GEMS program for girls (grades 7–12) focused on mentoring and future goals. HR Decision-Making: A guide on whether to take buyout offers breaks down the math, taxes, and benefits risks.

AI Hiring & Interviews: Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says engineering headcount is “mostly flat” while growth is in sales, as “new coding agents” take on more work; meanwhile recruiters are increasingly using AI chatbots for interviews, and jobseekers report feeling unsettled by the process. Labour Market Transparency: A Cypriot startup, Kyprium, is betting on AI to move hiring away from informal networks with tools for CV prep, interview practice, and salary transparency. Workforce Shock & Support: Oakland City University is suspending undergrad programs for 2026-27 and laying off staff; the fallout is prompting partner schools and support resources for students and workers. Layoffs Meet Union Pushback: A UK school trust plans to cut teaching assistant roles, with UNISON warning strike action could follow. Legal Risk for Hiring & Vetting: A US Supreme Court ruling could make freight brokers liable for negligent hiring of unsafe carriers, raising compliance pressure. Career Training Boosts: Caldwell Community College launches a hybrid NC BioWork class and a biotech innovation camp; Nevada offers free summer pre-employment camps for students with disabilities. Budget & Poverty: Save the Children says Budget 2026 offers little relief for families in poverty, with youth unemployment still high.

Skilled Trades & Training: Lackawanna College is opening a Chambersburg, PA satellite campus with an associate welding and fabrication program, built around a 5,000-square-foot weld shop—aimed at fast-tracking local workforce-ready talent. Workforce Development: Victoria ISD is hosting a districtwide Career Fair (June 2) for 2026-27 hires across teaching, aides, clerical, transportation, nutrition, custodial, nursing, tech and support roles, alongside retention pay and healthcare increases. Youth Employment: An extension finance expert shares practical tips for parents helping teens land summer jobs, including matching roles to interests and navigating child labor rules. Hiring & Apprenticeships: Swindon’s drone factory STARK has brought in its first apprentice cohort, signaling more STEM-linked placements as production ramps. College Sports Labor Rules: Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell are pushing a bipartisan bill to regulate NIL payments, limit transfers, and restrict coach poaching—aimed at easing chaos in college athletics. Nonprofit Leadership: Westport Food Pantry named a new director focused on expanding food distribution and tailoring offerings to client needs. AI & Jobs: New reporting highlights why AI hasn’t wiped out white-collar roles yet—automation often targets parts of jobs, not the whole work.

AI Job Outlook: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says AI is unlikely to trigger a mass white-collar job collapse, pointing to jobs still needing human judgment and communication. Wages & Entry-Level Pressure: A separate report highlights how real starting pay for new grads has fallen to multi-year lows while living costs keep rising—so even “hiring” doesn’t always mean “better.” Training-to-Work Pipelines: El Camino College’s 10-week truck driver program is turning beginners into licensed professionals with multiple job offers lined up after graduation. Local Hiring & Career Access: Junior Achievement is bringing JA BizTown to Eastwood Mall, letting kids run a simulated economy and practice job decisions. Workplace Tensions: Maryland sheriffs are suing over immigration legislation that limits local jails from holding people for ICE without a warrant. Career Politics: Rachael Rollins has qualified for Suffolk DA, setting up a high-stakes statewide race. Care Work: A veterans-focused home care agency is expanding caregiver hiring and building a “Renovating Care” series around senior support.

AI Hiring Push: China Media Group kicked off the 7th season of its national employment campaign, adding an AI assistant (“Guopin Xiaozhi”) for guidance, job matching, resume help, interview practice, and strengths checks. Tech-Labor Tension: Ireland’s Dáil heard claims that major tech firms are using AI as a cover for “ruthless cost cutting,” with redundancies tied to companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. Fed/Jobs Anxiety: Bank of Canada warned of a “low-hire, low-fire” labor market that could complicate rate decisions and hurt workers’ long-term prospects. Local Career Pathways: Curaçao’s Dr. Aemil Palm is inspiring students by showing a medical route that starts locally at SMU. Hiring Reality Checks: US teens face a record-slow summer job market, while LinkedIn users are turning to AI headshots to boost first impressions. Workplace Costs: B&Q owner Kingfisher reported sales softness and job cuts, blaming a delayed spring and weaker big-ticket spending.