Workforce training & skills gaps: Bossier City’s Pelican Training & Consulting is expanding local certifications (OSHA 30, first aid/CPR, AED, fire extinguisher safety) after leaders warned of a widening skills shortfall. AI and future work: Australia ranks No. 2 globally in QS’s Future Skills Index 2027, while Cebu’s IT-BPM sector is pitching AI-enabled, higher-value roles as contact centers modernize. Hiring and attendance pressure: Target is rolling out a points-based attendance system that can escalate from supervisor check-ins to counseling and termination. Workplace wellbeing & health: Queen’s University Belfast is joining a £1.8M UK project to prevent ill-health at work, as mental health drives record NEET levels. Labor policy and protections: Heat stress remains a major risk as many places lack enforceable occupational heat standards. Career pathways for young people: Iowa Workforce Development is taking applications for AMP’D Iowa, reimbursing employers up to 80% for employer-led advanced manufacturing training. Job access for neurodivergent shoppers: Sephora is testing “quiet hours” to reduce sensory triggers in stores. Education and employment outcomes: Portugal’s higher-education unemployment registrations have fallen sharply over the past decade, according to updated course/employment data. Workplace safety and HR compliance: A report says EY staff seconded to Commonwealth Bank faced mandatory privacy/confidentiality training and extra security steps before accessing sensitive customer files.