This week’s featured startup

Possible – Helps students explore career paths in tech, led by industry professionals through live sessions. Possible has partnered with 10 colleges in the last year, with an NPS score of 82. (David Chase, Founder & CEO)

Data Dive

US youth unemployment dips under 8%, lowest in 20 years

US youth unemployment dips under 8%, lowest in 20 years (Statista) – Another leading indicator of a surge in tech talent entering the workforce: a boon for economic development, but what does this mean for wage growth?

Investment

Authentica Solutions Secures $6.2 Million in Funding Led by Owl Ventures to Transform Intelligence Management in Education – With implications for the future of data integration in educational institutions, what will be the impact on student success and academic outcomes?

LearnLaunch Fund & Accelerator Invests in Five EdTech Startups in Newly Launched Breakthrough to Scale Program – Supporting innovative business models in exec function and soft skills training, student mental health and candidate placement & more.

MEandMine Raises $4.5M to Bring Unprecedented AI-Flagging Mental Health Solution to Schools – Questions remain about how this technology will actually identify students needing support. That said, will other industries adopt similar AI-powered solutions for mental health support?

TechWolf raises $43M to take an AI-sized bite out of the internal recruiting game (TechCrunch) – There’s a major push to revolutionize internal recruiting with AI; will this platform disrupt traditional methods and streamline talent acquisition processes?

Resources

AI & Universities (Bond Capital) – Mary Meeker, famous for her annual Internet Trends reports, has published a new report calling for the tech industry, government, and higher education to work together to advance AI during an inflection point “of epic proportions.”

Reskilling revolution: tech-enabled talent management for the future of work (Emerge Edtech Insights) – Chock full of data, trends, case studies, predictions & opportunities for startups. Also includes a useful 2×2 matrix covering the reskilling and talent management market. 

Events

A Conversation with Assistant Secretary of Labor Jose Javier Rodriguez (National Association of Workforce Boards) – Learn about his role in administering WIOA, Job Corps, apprenticeships, foreign labor certification, trade adjustment assistance, unemployment insurance, and federal grants.

Responsible AI in Education: Release and Discussion of the Department of Education’s New Guide for Developers (US Dept of Education) – Learn the key points in the Guide, and hear from educators and ed tech developers about how to use AI safely, ethically, and effectively.

Opportunities

Businesses Are Willing to Pay More to Hire People with the Right AI Skills (MSN) – Two-thirds of businesses find digital apprenticeships effective in addressing the skills gap, however they need better financial incentives to make them work.

Dell’s Return to Office Policy Raises Questions About the Future of Work (National Public Radio) – Offering the option to classify as remote workers, at the expense of eligibility for promotions and role changes, sparks more debate on hybrid work models.

Grow Together Campaign Launches to Support Black-Owned Businesses (NYS NAACP) – NAACP and Google team up, supporting communities of color to find careers in cybersecurity, IT support, data analytics, project management, and UX design.

How Jobright uses AI to help foreign workers navigate the US job market (TechCrunch) – This approach not only addresses critical integration challenges but also raises questions about AI’s broader role in reshaping global workforce dynamics and immigration policies.

Overcoming the Entry-Level Catch-22 in the Age of AI (Reach Capital) – In a world where AI performs entry-level tasks, and employers prioritize experienced candidates, how can recent college grads and job seekers find a job?

Postsecondary Education in Prison to Expand in All 50 States (Vera Institute of Justice) – Despite potential positive impact on reducing recidivism rates, important questions remain about ensuring quality and equity in these programs.

In the news

Businesses Are Willing to Pay More to Hire People with the Right AI Skills (MSN) – Two-thirds of businesses find digital apprenticeships effective in addressing the skills gap, however they need better financial incentives to make them work. 

Dell’s Return to Office Policy Raises Questions About the Future of Work (National Public Radio) – Offering the option to classify as remote workers, at the expense of eligibility for promotions and role changes, sparks more debate on hybrid work models.

Grow Together Campaign Launches to Support Black-Owned Businesses (NYS NAACP) – NAACP and Google team up, supporting communities of color to find careers in cybersecurity, IT support, data analytics, project management, and UX design.

How Jobright uses AI to help foreign workers navigate the US job market (TechCrunch) – This approach not only addresses critical integration challenges but also raises questions about AI’s broader role in reshaping global workforce dynamics and immigration policies.

Overcoming the Entry-Level Catch-22 in the Age of AI (Reach Capital) – In a world where AI performs entry-level tasks, and employers prioritize experienced candidates, how can recent college grads and job seekers find a job?

Postsecondary Education in Prison to Expand in All 50 States (Vera Institute of Justice) – Despite potential positive impact on reducing recidivism rates, important questions remain about ensuring quality and equity in these programs.


To sign up for Venture Lens’ Future of Work email digest, click here.


Mission Flywheel

Mission Flywheel is a consultancy and fractional CRO practice, focused on helping social enterprises prove their impact with measurable outcomes.

0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Avatar placeholder

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *