National Training Week 2026 (Malaysia): HRD Corp and Kesuma are rolling out thousands of free courses for all ages, with a “Pelajari, Alami, Kuasai” theme and options like AI prompting, digital marketing, drone operations, autism support, language classes, and vehicle maintenance. Career-to-work transitions (Oman): A workshop introduced the “National Model for Transition from School to Work,” aiming to align education outputs with labor-market needs under Oman Vision 2040. Employer-led upskilling (UK): Coleg Cambria and Siemens Healthineers launched on-site leadership and management apprenticeships for 40+ employees (Levels 3–5), building a future-leader pipeline. AI and hiring reality check: A new startup, Refer, promises interviews fast via an AI agent—but charges job seekers 20% of their first month’s salary, raising questions about who pays for recruitment. Youth work and job access (US): Teen summer jobs are at near-lowest levels since WWII, with big gaps by income—fueling concerns about early work experience. Veterans’ hiring support (US): Hope For The Warriors and Robert Half host a free virtual workshop on translating military experience to civilian roles. AI for communication (research): Studies suggest chatbot-guided practice can improve verbal empathy and face-to-face conversation skills for autistic adults.