LinkedIn Releases Learning Hub, in Likely Bid to Gain Share of Burgeoning Reskilling Market– LinkedIn has announced the release of their LXP, in an interesting move that dovetails with Linda as well as a skills initiative they launched in 2020, in partnership with Microsoft and GitHub. Learning Hub will leverage a skills taxonomy will match learners with potential job opportunities as they make progression in their skill building. This is at the very least, an interesting step in the global reskilling journey. Josh Bersin breaks it down here.
The EU Declares AI-based Recruiting Tools "High Risk" - The European Commission has announced proposed new rules and actions aiming to turn Europe into the global hub for trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI). Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said: “On Artificial Intelligence, trust is a must, not a nice to have. With these landmark rules, the EU is spearheading the development of new global norms to make sure AI can be trusted. By setting the standards, we can pave the way to ethical technology worldwide and ensure that the EU remains competitive along the way. Future-proof and innovation-friendly, our rules will intervene where strictly needed: when the safety and fundamental rights of EU citizens are at stake.” To that end, they are proposing categories for various AI-driven tools: high-risk, limited, and nominal. Included in the High Risk category: "Employment, workers management and access to self-employment (e.g. CV-sorting software for recruitment procedures)".
US Jobless Claims Fall to 547,000 - The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to 547,000, the lowest point since the pandemic struck and an encouraging sign that layoffs are slowing on the strength of an improving job market. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications declined 39,000 from a revised 586,000 a week earlier. Weekly jobless claims are down sharply from a peak of 900,000 in early January. At the same time, they’re still far above the roughly 230,000 level that prevailed before the viral outbreak ripped through the economy in March of last year. [AP]
Amazon's Staffing a Robotics Plant, With Humans (for now) -Amazon is building a robotics fulfillment center at Richmond Raceway, hiring more than 1,000 employees. Since 2010, by the company's own estimates, Amazon’s investments have contributed an additional $17.5 billion to Virginia’s economy and helped create over 52,100 indirect jobs on top of Amazon’s direct hires—from jobs in construction and logistics to professional services. In addition, more than 48,000 independent authors and small and medium businesses in Virginia are selling to customers in Amazon’s store.
An RPO for the Cannabis Industry Emerges - High Bluff Group has announced a strategic partnership with Green Leaf Business Solutions. According to the press release: "High Bluff Group is a cannabis recruitment agency that focuses on finding talent that fits a company’s culture while highlighting the soft and hard benefits to achieve a successful placement. High Bluff Group has partnered with Green Leaf Business Solutions to provide payroll service solution that ensures compliance with local, state and federal laws. This new partnership will focus specifically on RPO solutions in which High Bluff Group will recruit high volume talent while Green Leaf Business Solutions ensures a rapid onboarding timeline with a focus on Human Resources and compliance."
'Pick for Britain' Campaign Scrapped, Amidst Allegations Recruiting Systems Failed - The controversial program has failed. The National Farmers Union said that farmers still needed thousands of non-UK workers for the 2021 harvest. According to charity Concordia, only 150 farm jobs were accepted by British workers in April, following 50,000 initial expressions of interest. Likewise, The Alliance of Ethical Labour Providers said despite receiving 36,000 applications of interest from British people, only 6,000 had opted to interview for a role. That said, significant complaints about the application systems emerged from UK job applicants, with Spark Hire being named directly by one applicant who have up applying in frustration with the system. In addition, on the day the initiative was announced, the website for job seekers crashed immediately.
Turns Out, Scheduling Issues Can Hurt Your Candidate Flow - Cronofy has released data around the impact of delays on the hiring process. Close to half of candidates have dropped out of a hiring process because of scheduling issues. That number increases with level: 62% of senior candidates have left the process because of this - 73% in the UK.
GM Extending Remote Work Options Permanently - The automaker outlined plans to allow remote work after the pandemic, in part to cast a wider net for recruiting programmers, marketers and other talent needed for its connected, electric vehicle strategy. "The future of jobs will not be a one-size fits all approach," the automaker said in a statement explaining its "Work Appropriately" program to cover 155,000 employees worldwide. Instead, many employees will be allowed to keep working remotely, coming to an office as needed, as long as their tasks are not tied to assembly lines or on-site equipment. [Reuters]
Short news updates - some good, some bad, all interesting