Workforce Development

New York – October 28, 2026 -- The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) and BUILD.org plan to merge into a nonprofit serving more than 350,000 students annually, with a projected operating budget of about $18 million. The deal is pending regulatory approval.

BUILD will become the first organization in NFTE's planned "family of brands," a longer-term strategy to consolidate mission-aligned entrepreneurship education groups. The two nonprofits have a combined 67 years of operating history.

Combined organization targets an $18 million annual operating budget

The merged entity will pair NFTE's national and global reach, educator training and research capabilities with BUILD's relationship-centered, experiential learning model. Both organizations rely on project-based learning, and the merger plan calls for combining NFTE's entrepreneurial mindset curriculum with BUILD's Spark Skills.

United States – October 28, 2026 -- NFTE has published a NEXUS policy brief with three recommendations for policymakers and education leaders on preparing students for an AI-driven workforce. The brief is titled "Entrepreneurship Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: How AI Literacy, Entrepreneurial Learning, and Human Skills Can Prepare Students for the Future of Work."

NFTE argues technical AI literacy alone falls short for students

The brief says the question for schools is shifting from whether students will use generative AI to how they use it thoughtfully, critically, and creatively. It names critical thinking, creativity, communication, adaptability, and entrepreneurial skills as necessary for working alongside AI.

MCLEAN, Va. – October 28, 2026 -- Hilton (NYSE: HLT) took the No. 1 spot on Great Place to Work's inaugural U.S. Best Workplaces in Hotels & Resorts list, with 95% of its team members calling it a great place to work. The ranking is based on feedback from Hilton team members across the U.S.

Survey scores reach 95% to 97% on three measures

According to Great Place to Work, 97% of Hilton team members say they are made to feel welcome. A further 96% say they feel pride in the company's accomplishments.

Laura Fuentes, Hilton's chief human resources officer and head of Hilton Supply Management, said Hilton's greatest strength remains "the people who create the human connections at the heart of hospitality." Kim Peters, EVP of Global Brand Insights and Growth at Great Place To Work, said the new list lets the organization build on its existing hospitality expertise.

Huntsville – October 27, 2026 -- Akima is reframing its recruiting strategy around long-term capability building, with Director of Recruiting Services Dee Sharma stating that demand has shifted from cleared talent to mission-ready leaders.

Akima ties recruiting to expansion in Huntsville and defense, aerospace and technology missions

Sharma said the company's approach is not transactional hiring. Akima is continuing to expand into key markets such as Huntsville and is growing its support across defense, aerospace and technology missions. Its stated priority is building careers that grow with the mission rather than filling individual roles.

Kotzebue – October 27, 2026 -- Akima took its shareholder talent outreach above the Arctic Circle in late February, meeting NANA shareholder students at the Kotzebue Middle High School career fair in -50s temperatures.

Akima sends shareholder programs director to the NANA Region hub

Mamie Karmun, Akima's director of shareholder programs, traveled to Kotzebue, the hub of the NANA Region. She was joined by an author of the source account. Their goal was to introduce students to career pathways at Akima and across the NANA portfolio of companies.

The annual fair draws students and educators from the region's remote villages, so shareholders from multiple villages can be reached in one place.

Anchorage – October 27, 2026 -- Akima drew about 30 shareholders to an Anchorage meet-and-greet in February that promoted career pathways across the Akima and NANA company portfolios, including the newly launched NANA Works talent program.

NANA Works launches as a centralized talent resource for shareholders

NANA Works, introduced this spring, offers career advising, online training, an AI-powered resume builder and direct connections to employers across the NANA portfolio and Alaska. NANA created the initiative to make career opportunities more accessible to shareholders.

Four NANA-affiliated companies join Akima at the event

Mamie Karmun, Akima's director of shareholder programs, hosted the session alongside an Akima executive. Representatives from Akima subsidiary Pegasus Aviation, NANA Worley, NANA North and NANA Works explained their roles and the career paths open to shareholders.

CHARLOTTE – October 22, 2026 -- Duke Energy lineworkers won six awards, including two first-place finishes, at the International Lineman's Rodeo held Oct. 17 in Bonner Springs, Kansas, where about 1,250 competitors from around the world took part.

Duke Energy's journeyman teams take two first places and a second overall

Justin McCarson, Heath Burrell and Miles Bell placed second overall in the journeyman division. The same trio also won the Journeyman Mystery Event #1 and took second in the Journeyman IOU category.

Keith Griffin, Jay Tipton and Sandy Barnhill won the journeyman seniors division. Matthew Clark, Danny Haithcock and Hunter Boone placed second in that division. Tyler Nickols, Joshua Buckner and Tyler Manick finished fourth in Journeyman IOU.

NEW YORK – October 22, 2026 -- New York-based accounting firm PKF O'Connor Davies has taken the No. 1 spot on Vault's Best Overall Internships list for the fourth consecutive year, according to the 2027 Internship Rankings released by the career research provider.

The rankings cover more than 30 categories, including Most Prestigious Internships, Best Overall Internships, and lists by key employment factor, role and industry. They draw on Vault's Summer 2026 Survey of more than 18,000 interns.

PKF O'Connor Davies leads four quality-of-life categories

PKF O'Connor Davies ranks first in Compensation, Employment Prospects, Training and Mentoring, and Networking Opportunities. Interns cited close work with accountants at all levels and participation in client meetings.

San Francisco cloud computing company Fastly places second overall and ranks first in Real-Life Experience. Its interns report working on high-impact engineering projects.

Chicago – October 21, 2026 -- Delta Dental Plans Association has committed three years of funding to five organizations building early-exposure pipelines into oral health careers, under its 2026 Future Workforce Fund.

President and CEO James W. Hutchison said a strong workforce requires "sustained investment, collaboration, and a commitment to learning what works." The funding is meant to help the grantees deepen their impact, strengthen evaluation and share approaches that other communities can replicate. The source does not disclose the total award amount or per-grantee allocations.

Five organizations receive 2026 Future Workforce Fund awards

The awardees and their programs are:

United States – October 21, 2026 -- Urgent Care professionals have until November 15 to submit session proposals for UCA Convergence 2027, as the association also rolls out a new employer designation tied to clinician onboarding.

UC Ready designation now appears as a filter on UC Compass

The UC Ready designation recognizes Urgent Care organizations that use a structured, standards-aligned approach to assessing and supporting clinician readiness during onboarding. Job seekers can filter for "UC ready" on UC Compass to build a list of qualifying employers. Employers can use the badge to demonstrate commitment to workforce development, quality care and continuous improvement.