November2025AI&WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENIBuilding a Secure, Equitable Future for Tech WorkersNG7ABLEFURTACHWOrTECHEQUITY
CONTENT'SExecutiveSummaryOur recommendations for the future50IntroductionHow Al is impacting the tech job marketTechIndustry Commitments to AlUpskllingPledgingresourcesto trainingintiativesOmlina courses and bootcampsThaontlook forindustrv-led upskillingPublicPolicy Approaches toAlandLaborFederallevelStatelevelThe outlook for public policy approachesLaborUnion-Led Efforts in Trainingand Worker Protection23Collectivebargaining222Collaboration withcollegesUnion and employer partnershipsThe outlook for labor union-led efforts贸品ConclusionAcknowledgementscitations7E8Urx
EXECUTIVESUMMARI2025sawawaveofpresscoverace andheadliwarning of major shifts in oulives at work.Policymakers and working people are feeling uncertain about thefuture and are looking for appropriate policy responses. Previous cycles oflabordisruption have shown thata sole focus on reskilling, retraining,and workforce development has been far from sufficient to address the impact of technology-induced shiftsin the labor market,eare an insufficient response from techcompanies and policymakers to the current and unfolding impact ofemergingtechnologyon workersWorkforce development programs can be useful resources asjobs change, buttheyneed to be paired with broader economic policies to ensure that tech'sevolution benefits everyone. Unless we talke seriously the question of the powerdifferential between emplovers and workers, any benefits of Al technologyWe shareeachestoworkforcedevelopment:tech industrycommitments to AI upskilling;public policyapproaches toAIandlabor;andlaborunion-ledetforts in trainingand workerprotection.Theseexamples lead us to three significant conclusionsregarding theAI-related workforce development initiatives that have been announcedin thelast three vears.*First. industry-led initiatives and, to alesser extent, public policyinitiatives.rarelv designtraining programs based on what workers want andtypically do not include mechanisms tointegrate worlkervoice into programTE8trx
Second.absenttheleverageof worker powerthroughcollectivelv bargainedagreementsorcommunitybenefits agreements, industrycommitments are typicallyague and hnghly opaque-both before programs are started andaftertheyare completed.There islittle datatobe found on the outcomes ofcorporatetraining programs, whereas there are numerous studiesthat haveproduced robust evidence on publicly-funded prorrams。Third. programs to ensure thatthe skills of the labor forcematchtheiobmarketareonlyone small pieceofthe picture when policvmakers areconsidering how to ensure that working people are protected as technologydevelops. Policymakers need to think expansively to developarobust policyresponseto ensurethatworkers are protected from harm and that thebenefits of technology are equitably distributedCOURREGOMMENDATIONSFORTHEFUTUR1.Center workersin developing solutions.2.Hold companies accountable for the funds they'vecommitted to ad...
