Apprenticeships & TVET: Lanier Technical College and Alcon’s Johns Creek site in Georgia launched an 18-month apprenticeship for mechatronics and industrial systems students, pairing classroom skills with hands-on maintenance, troubleshooting, and SOP work. In Malaysia, Melaka’s TVET Convention 2026 set resolutions to strengthen industry placements and trainee welfare, while the state plans “Mula Melaka,” a late-August, RM1M fund to help TVET alumni start tech-focused businesses. Workforce training funding: Maryland announced a $1.23M investment to train nearly 600 people for AI-shaped “lighthouse” industries. Workplace learning that’s practical: The University of Chicago Law School will pilot a ban on laptops and other devices in core first-year classes, aiming to build core thinking skills alongside AI literacy. Job pathways after incarceration: Pennsylvania’s Restorative Justice Initiative helped a man released after decades in prison land a job and work toward a bachelor’s degree. Safety & compliance training: A UK-focused LOLER explainer highlights why lifting-equipment rules apply far beyond construction, and a PIT safety webinar targets OSHA compliance for forklift and hoist operators. Hiring & access: Stagecoach is adding about 20 bus driver roles in Hartlepool and Stockton with full training for new PCV drivers. HR reality checks: A Reddit post describes a candidate “ghosted” after a long final interview, a reminder that hiring communication still breaks down.