Lightcast

06/02/2026

Matt Walsh, Research Director here at Lightcast, talks about the importance of non-degree credentials in the current labor market and how it must be blended with a focus on skills.

06/02/2026

Skills are the central data point for navigating current workforce challenges.
They shouldn't be thought of as the silver bullet, but they're crucial!

Oli Meager talks about this in depth here:

06/02/2026

Everyone talks about how many jobs a new data center creates.
Almost nobody asks how many of those jobs are **temporary**

Across multiple studies, data center construction can require 1,000-10,000 workers.

Long-term operations? Often a fraction of that: 50-400 people.

The biggest workforce impact happens during construction. The permanent workforce story is much smaller.

That's not an argument against data centers.
It's an argument for reading beyond the press release.

Learn more about the impact of data centers and the labor market in our new Lightpaper >> https://lightcast.io/resources/research/data-centers-and-the-local-workforce

06/01/2026

One of the biggest Workforce Pell misconceptions is that organizations need to build everything from scratch.

In reality, many leaders are starting with what already works.

Our new ebook outlines six practical strategies for Workforce Pell readiness: https://lightcast.io/labor-shortages-workforce-pell-ebook

05/27/2026

International students have historically played a major role in building the US healthcare talent pipeline.

Now, declining international enrollment threatens to narrow that pipeline, especially in fields already facing persistent labor shortages.

The downstream impact could reshape hiring, credentialing, and workforce planning across healthcare for years to come.

Our latest article explores the geopolitical pressures influencing healthcare labor supply. https://lightcast.io/resources/blog/healthcare-geopolitics-fault-lines

05/27/2026

In conversation: Watch as researchers Elena Magrini and Matt Walsh explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the labor market, changing the skills employers need, and challenging traditional approaches to education, hiring, and workforce strategy.

What does a truly skills-based economy look like — and how is AI ac...

05/26/2026

Our leading economists and researchers sat down to talk about some of most important labor topics of the day:

From Ron talking labor shortages, to Matt discussing credentials of value, to Elena talking AI trends, and Elizabeth reviewing organizational skills infrastructure ---- this video playlist is a masterclass in what's happening now, and what is to come: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_nzs24g8gYYsp_G5nCR_8d2eF7I2DJ02

05/26/2026

How do institutions identify which credentials and pathways are truly aligned with workforce demand?

More organizations are turning to labor market data, skills analysis, and employment outcomes to answer that question.

Some are mapping programs to regional demand and wage data. Others are analyzing “credentials of value” to better understand which pathways create long-term opportunity for learners.

Our new ebook explores how states and institutions are approaching pathway alignment in the Workforce Pell era. https://lightcast.io/labor-shortages-workforce-pell-ebook

05/26/2026

How can orgs operationalize a skills architecture? Our Principal Economist Elizabeth Crofoot breaks down how organizations across the globe can use five key components, referred to as the five C's, to turn skills into strategy.

05/22/2026

The healthcare labor challenge is bigger than today’s shortages.

Globally declining birth rates are reshaping the long-term workforce pipeline, shrinking future labor supply while demand for healthcare services continues to rise. This means major implications for healthcare employers, educators, and policymakers.

Part 2 of our healthcare Fault Lines series looks at the geopolitical forces driving these changes. https://lightcast.io/resources/blog/healthcare-geopolitics-fault-lines