Labor
Meta announced on Monday the launch of America's Workforce Academy, a $115 million workforce development program aimed at providing free industry skills training and guaranteeing participants job opportunities in data center construction projects. The program will first be implemented in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas, with participants earning certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Meta calls it the largest private-sector commitment in U.S. history to skills training with guaranteed employment.
A coalition of diversity and inclusion advocacy groups, in a lawsuit against U.S. President Trump, has asked a Maryland federal judge to block his executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities by federal contractors. The plaintiffs argue the order violates the First and Fifth Amendments and constitutes irreparable harm.
The construction industry has long faced labor shortages and recruitment mismatches. The Where Trades Go platform, founded by Brian Drucks, borrows the matching mechanism of dating apps, allowing job seekers to upload work videos and certificates, enabling employers to visually assess skills. The platform has partnered with Passaic County Community College and plans to expand to more schools.