AGP Executive Report

Skilled Trades Push: Meta, ABC, and NCCER are backing craft training to feed AI infrastructure demand, while BlackRock, Ford, Google, and Carhartt launched the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades to scale apprenticeships and close workforce gaps. Workforce Pipelines: Philadelphia’s Navy-linked Skills Initiative added a second cohort to build a skilled-trades pipeline for defense jobs. Apprenticeship Funding: New Mexico’s Workforce Solutions secured $900,000+ to expand paid apprenticeships across construction, healthcare, IT, and cybersecurity. Hiring & Job Market Signals: Maryland added jobs in June and kept unemployment slightly above the national rate; Montana’s unemployment fell to 3.3%. AI and Entry-Level Hiring: Hiring managers say they’d rather invest in AI tools than hire and train new grads, and Meta’s AI-layoff lawsuit highlights how hard it is for workers to prove discrimination—especially under arbitration. Labor Force Reality Check: A jobs report discussion warns a lower unemployment rate may reflect fewer people looking for work. Career Mobility: LinkedIn’s “Cities on the Rise” points to growing mid-size metros tied to logistics, ports, and manufacturing. Job Security & Benefits: A new survey finds “job lock” is rising as more workers stay in unwanted jobs for health insurance.

Workforce Funding: New Mexico’s Department of Workforce Solutions won $900,000+ to expand registered apprenticeships and employer partnerships in construction, healthcare, IT, and cybersecurity, with added outreach for veterans, women, people with disabilities, and rural communities. Hiring & Career Pathways: LinkedIn’s “Cities on the Rise” highlights 25 fast-growing job hubs, pointing job seekers toward midsize metros balancing opportunity, affordability, and quality of life. AI & Hiring Fairness: A Reuters report on Meta’s AI-linked layoff discrimination lawsuit underscores how hard it is for workers to prove wrongdoing—especially when they weren’t in the decision “rooms” and are often locked into arbitration. Labor Market Reality Check: USA TODAY’s “The Excerpt” warns that a lower unemployment rate may reflect fewer people looking for work, not stronger hiring. Job Search Pressure: Clutch research finds most job seekers use AI to apply faster, but worry AI-generated resumes make it harder to stand out. Healthcare Costs & Work: A new survey finds “job lock” is rising—about 1 in 4 workers stay in unwanted jobs just to keep health insurance. Local Jobs: Domino’s opened its first Sisters, Oregon store and is hiring 20 roles, including delivery and customer service. Education Affordability: A Lumina-Gallup poll finds only 12% of adults rate four-year colleges as doing a good/excellent job on affordability, while community colleges score higher.

AI and hiring anxiety: New Clutch research finds 80% of U.S. job seekers use AI to apply more, but 93% fear AI-made resumes make it harder to stand out—and 92% worry AI will shrink jobs in their field. Workplace screening shifts: Nearly half of employers have dropped marijuana testing for some applicants, even as cannabis positivity rises in workplace drug tests. Long-term unemployment persists: Despite a 4.2% June unemployment rate, about 1.9M Americans were jobless for 27 weeks or more, with unemployment averaging 25.5 weeks. Workforce training investment: Mississippi Delta Community College added new career-technical instructors and programs (industrial electricity, cybersecurity, HVAC) with classes starting Aug. 17. Tech hiring push: SK hynix is expanding U.S. hiring for AI memory and advanced packaging roles in San Jose and West Lafayette. Local jobs and leadership: Domino’s opened in Sisters, hiring for 20 roles; Hudson Insurance Group announced executive leadership changes. Career pathways debate: A new discussion challenges whether “career readiness” and school pathways truly match real job needs. Immigration labor tension: DHS met with business-linked groups seeking “cheap foreign labor,” adding uncertainty to mass-deportation plans.

Long-Term Unemployment: Even as the headline jobless rate dipped, nearly 2 million Americans have been out of work for 6+ months, with long-term unemployment rising and job searches lasting about 25.5 weeks on average. AI Hiring Pressure: Tech layoffs and AI-driven screening are reshaping hiring fast, leaving older workers and displaced tech talent facing a tougher, more competitive market. Workplace Drug Testing: Marijuana positives are climbing in employer drug tests, but many companies are treating it more like alcohol—less of an automatic deal-breaker outside safety-sensitive roles. Skilled Trades Pipeline: Walmart is expanding “Associate-to-Technician” training via new hubs (including Atlanta) to build maintenance talent, while the federal minimum wage debate continues as wage floors lag inflation. Reentry and Housing: Cherokee Nation is using opioid settlement funds to support reentry participants with housing and career help, aiming to reduce barriers to stable work. Local Job Growth: Hepburn and Sons will invest $18.1M in Prince William County to create 80 jobs, adding capacity for defense tech demand. Career Pathways Talk: A renewed push for “career readiness” and pathways is under scrutiny—some programs may look good on paper but fail to translate into real job skills. Networking Advice: A tech CEO argues Gen Z job seekers should network constantly—because many roles “aren’t published.”

Hiring Strategy: Paylocity argues that a connected, end-to-end hiring setup can cut time-to-fill and reduce fraud and operational drag in high-turnover industries. Labor Market Reality Check: Even as unemployment edges down, long-term joblessness remains stubborn—nearly 2 million Americans have been out of work for 6+ months, with the average spell at 25.5 weeks. Tech Job Insecurity: Silicon Valley workers face renewed instability as AI accelerates layoffs and “AI employees” reshape roles, leaving some former high earners struggling to land interviews. AI Recruiting Shift: A new startup pitches faster interviews via AI outreach, while broader reporting highlights how employers increasingly use AI to screen job seekers’ online presence. Wage Pressure: A Monster report finds 93% of workers say pay isn’t keeping up with cost of living, and employer inflation pay responses are slipping. Workforce Development: Walmart expands skilled-trades career pathways with a new Atlanta training hub aimed at maintenance talent. Local Jobs & Careers: Virginia’s Hepburn and Sons will invest $18.1M for a Prince William HQ and 80 jobs, and a free virtual career workshop supports veterans and military spouses.

Defense & Hiring: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger says Hepburn and Sons will invest $18.1M in Prince William County to open a new Northern Virginia HQ and innovation hub, creating 80 jobs by summer 2028. Workforce Development: Los Alamos National Laboratory will expand its Plutonium Workforce Development Institutional Partnerships, paying for more than 30 students to gain hands-on experience at LANL. Job Market Signals: Weekly unemployment claims fell to 208,000, the lowest in 10 weeks, but hiring remains cautious as layoffs stay “historically low.” AI in Hiring: A Wall Street Journal report says employers are increasingly using AI to review applicants’ online activity, raising new concerns around privacy and discrimination compliance. Wage Pressure: A report argues the federal minimum wage’s $7.25 floor is effectively a poverty wage after 70 years of erosion. Consumer Demand & Jobs: Domino’s beat revenue estimates via supply-chain strength but missed sales and profit expectations as weak demand and competition squeeze restaurant growth. Local Public Safety Jobs: Cleveland’s police inspector general resigned, reopening a key oversight role tied to the city’s police reform process. Retirement Planning: Suze Orman warns parents not to pause their own retirement savings to help adult kids, even as “boomerang kids” trends grow.

AI Hiring Shift: PwC says AI-skill job postings jumped 8x faster than overall hiring in 2025, with employers paying up to a 62% salary premium—plus a Wall Street Journal report that more firms are using AI to scan job seekers’ online presence, raising privacy and bias concerns. Young Adult Pressure: A Pew survey finds majorities say it’s harder for young adults to buy homes and find jobs than it was for their parents, with “finding a job” the biggest jump since 2021. Job Market Signals: Weekly unemployment claims fell to 208,000 (lowest in 10 weeks), but hiring is still cautious and labor-force participation is slipping, hinting at a softer job outlook. Workforce Pipelines: Los Alamos National Laboratory is expanding paid student pathways through its plutonium workforce program, while veterans get a free virtual career workshop with employer panels. Local Economic Strain: Oregon saw 6,000 business closures in nine months in 2025, and Southern California hiring is running well below its usual pace. Big Hiring Bets: Port of Brownsville announced a $3.2B shipyard project expected to create 10,000+ direct jobs. Recruiting Costs & Risks: A new AI recruiting startup charges job seekers 20% of first-month salary, and a fraud case shows forged letters being used to land jobs.

Housing & Jobs: WalletHub ranked Huntsville No. 12 for first-time homebuyers, citing a “balanced” mix of affordability, low property taxes, and a strong job market—useful context for workers weighing where to live and apply. AI Recruiting Costs: A new AI job-hunting startup, Refer, says it gets interviews fast, but charges job seekers 20% of their first month’s salary—raising fresh questions about who pays in the hiring funnel. Veterans Employment: Hope For The Warriors and Robert Half will host a free virtual career workshop July 23 for veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses, with employer panelists on resumes, interviews, and AI in job searches. Job Market Pulse: Weekly unemployment claims fell to 208,000, the lowest in 10 weeks, while June hiring added only 57,000 jobs—signaling slower hiring even as layoffs stay rare. AI Screening Watch: Employers are increasingly using AI to review applicants’ public online activity, with regulators warning about anti-discrimination compliance and unfair automated decisions. Workforce & Economic Development: Texas reported steady job growth, and the Port of Brownsville backed a $3.2B next-gen shipyard expected to create 10,000+ direct jobs—both tied to hiring demand. Education & Hiring Pipeline: The Education Department is cracking down on “passing the trash” in teacher misconduct cases, pushing districts to respond and not quietly reassign accused staff.

Job Market Pulse: Weekly jobless claims fell to 208,000, the lowest in 10 weeks, while June hiring stayed cautious with employers adding just 57,000 jobs—good news for layoffs, but a reminder that hiring is still slow. Inflation & Cost Pressures: June inflation cooled, but Fed officials warned sticky inflation could return as AI data-center build-outs push up power and chip costs. Entrepreneurship: The U.S. added about 3.49M businesses in the first half of 2026, showing a steady wave of new entrepreneurs even as the economy feels shaky. AI in Hiring: Employers are increasingly using AI to review job seekers’ public online activity, raising fresh concerns about privacy and discrimination compliance. Local Hiring Watch: Southern California job growth is running well below its long-term pace, while Texas added 177,900 jobs over the year—an uneven map for job seekers. Workforce Development: Big investments in skilled-trades pipelines and training are gaining momentum as employers chase workers for roles that can pay well without a four-year degree.

Entrepreneurship & Hiring Signals: The U.S. added about 3.49M businesses in the first half of 2026, with June alone adding 548K—an entrepreneurship surge even as hiring stays cautious. AI Recruiting Scrutiny: Employers are increasingly using AI to scan job seekers’ public online activity, raising fresh concerns about privacy, bias, and compliance with anti-discrimination rules. Job Market Pulse: Weekly unemployment claims fell to 208,000, the lowest in 10 weeks, while June hiring added only 57,000 jobs—showing low layoffs but slower momentum. Fed Inflation Crackdown: Fed officials signaled a tougher stance on sticky inflation ahead of the next meeting, keeping pressure on rates that affect hiring and pay. Workforce & Skills Pipeline: Skilled-trades demand is front and center, with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warning the U.S. needs hundreds of thousands of electricians and welders—and highlighting paths that don’t require a four-year degree. Education Accountability: The Education Department is pushing a crackdown on districts “passing the trash” by reassigning teachers accused of sexual misconduct. Legal Watch: California appeals courts split on what “standing” requires for state FCRA claims, setting up more employer-facing litigation risk.

Fed Watch: Fed officials signaled a tougher stance on sticky inflation ahead of the next meeting, with Warsh warning there’s “no mission accomplished” after June cooled. Hiring Signals: Weekly unemployment claims fell to 208,000, while June hiring added just 57,000 jobs—showing a cautious labor market. AI in HR: Employers are increasingly using AI to scan job seekers’ online presence, raising new concerns about privacy and bias as regulators push for compliance. Workforce & Skills: Texas added 177,900 jobs over the year; meanwhile, skilled-trades demand keeps rising, with blue-collar influencers helping drive interest in apprenticeships and vocational training. Education & Compliance: The Education Department is cracking down on “passing the trash” in teacher misconduct cases. Public Sector Hiring: CBP is recruiting nationwide and hosting a virtual hiring event for veterans and military spouses. Jobs & Pay: ADP data points to wage growth slowing overall, with biggest raises in construction, manufacturing, and financial firms. Big Projects: Port of Brownsville is set to anchor a $3.2B autonomous naval shipyard expected to create 10,000+ direct jobs. Fraud & Hiring Risk: A Chula Vista woman pleaded guilty to forging letters to land a job while on supervised release.

AI Hiring Shake-Up: A new study says AI screening tools used by most U.S. employers can systematically reject Black and Asian applicants, effectively shrinking the entry-level job market. Workforce Fraud Crackdown: The U.S. Labor nominee says states should “verify first and pay later,” pushing a new unemployment fraud database to stop improper payments. Veterans Hiring Push: CBP is recruiting nationwide and will host a July 23 virtual event for veterans and military spouses, highlighting training, pay incentives, and benefits. Skilled Trades Demand: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon argues the U.S. needs hundreds of thousands of electricians and welders, with six-figure pay possible without a four-year degree. Young Grads Hit Hard: The Fed-linked St. Louis research points to a “low-hire” labor market driving rising unemployment for recent college grads. Regional Job Growth: South Carolina’s SteelFab plans a $39M expansion creating 108 jobs, while Detpack USA adds 50 jobs in Spartanburg. Market Mood: Chip and AI stock weakness dragged indexes lower as investors questioned AI spending sustainability. Immigration & Jobs: H-1B uncertainty is pushing some immigrant tech talent to other countries, with registrations down sharply.

Job Market Signals: Weekly unemployment claims fell to 208,000 (week ending July 11), the lowest in 10 weeks, while June hiring stayed cautious with only 57,000 jobs added—an HR reality check for employers planning headcount. AI Hiring Rules & Bias: A new study finds AI hiring screeners used by many employers can systematically disadvantage Black and Asian applicants, raising pressure for stronger state accountability and fairer recruiting. Entry-Level Squeeze: The “low-hire, low-fire” phase is hitting recent college grads hardest, with young unemployment rising as AI requirements and slower hiring narrow entry paths. Fed Watch: Kevin Hassett said there’s “no excuse” for a rate hike after June inflation cooled, a reminder that pay and hiring plans still track macro moves. Workforce Fraud Crackdown: Labor nominee Keith Sonderling vowed tighter unemployment fraud controls, including “verify first, pay later” and a new fraud database. Defense & Skilled Trades Hiring: Texas’ Port of Brownsville backed a $3.2B next-gen shipyard expected to create 10,000+ jobs, while West Virginia’s Helsing plans $50M for AI-enabled drone manufacturing jobs. Education Accountability: A new federal rule ties college funding to whether graduates earn at least about $36,000 in California, putting hundreds of programs on notice.

Hiring & Jobs: Weekly unemployment claims fell to 208,000, the lowest in 10 weeks, signaling layoffs stay historically low. Workforce Development: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Highline Warren’s $170M logistics investment in McDonough, creating 160 jobs. Defense Manufacturing: West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Helsing will invest $50M in Berkeley County to build AI-enabled strike drones, creating at least 60 jobs. AI & Employment Risk: A Meta discrimination lawsuit alleges AI tools used in layoffs can’t account for workers on legally protected medical or parental leave; firings are set for July 22. Workplace Policy: Pre-employment marijuana testing is fading as more applicants test positive and employers worry it shrinks the candidate pool. Education Confidence: Gallup finds public trust in colleges slips again as tuition, politics, and AI concerns mount. Manufacturing Careers: A new push highlights durable goods manufacturing job openings and argues the sector needs better branding to attract talent. Fed Watch: Fed Governor Lisa Cook says she’s ready to act if inflation doesn’t slow, with risks now weighted more toward higher prices than job weakness.

Fed Beige Book: The Fed’s latest “Beige Book” says the economy is expanding and hiring is improving while inflation is easing, but it warns the outlook is clouded by renewed Iran-related fuel-price risk. AI Hiring Scrutiny: Meta faces a federal discrimination lawsuit claiming its AI layoff scoring system can’t account for workers on protected medical, parental, or disability leave; firings are set to start July 22. Workplace Policy & Testing: Marijuana positivity is rising while more employers drop or loosen pre-hire testing, pushing HR teams to rethink cannabis policies. Workforce Development: New partnerships and training efforts aim to build talent pipelines in microelectronics and other in-demand fields, including veteran-focused programs. Semiconductor Careers: New York launches a tax-credit program to offset employer training costs for high-demand semiconductor roles. Privacy Law Watch: Vermont’s Data Privacy and Online Surveillance Act takes effect in 2028, adding another compliance deadline for employers and vendors. Local Hiring & Growth: Orca Bio’s approved cell therapy expansion is set to grow biotech jobs in Sacramento. Job Market Mood: Gallup reports more workers now say they’re “struggling” than “thriving,” with job-change confidence at multi-year lows.

Fed Watch: New York Fed President John Williams said inflation is “unquestionably too high” but may have peaked, pointing to tariffs, energy shocks, and AI investment as drivers that could fade. Work Visas & Jobs: A West Virginia congressman renewed calls to end the H-1B visa program, arguing it displaces American workers and replaces “coding jobs.” Hiring & Pay Signals: Walmart will open a metro Atlanta skilled trades training center to prepare 4,000 workers by 2030, while QTS pledged $5M for skilled trades workforce training in Eastern Iowa. Skilled Trades Pipeline: Argonne and partners launched an interactive hydropower “market game” to attract new workers as many in the field near retirement. Workplace Policy: Employers are seeing more marijuana-positive tests but fewer are testing for cannabis pre-hire, reshaping hiring and drug-testing policies. Career Pathways: New federal grants target employer-student connections and expand Registered Apprenticeships in reindustrialization sectors. Local Housing Pressure: Boston rents fell for 13 straight months, with economists linking the slide to added supply and a cooling job market. Education & Hiring: Gallup found confidence in higher education dropped to 38%, citing cost, politics, and job-readiness concerns.