Defence engineering, skilled trades, semiconductors, cybersecurity, healthcare, and social care are among the professions expanding in 2025, even as AI leads to layoffs in other sectors.

Tech stocks declined today following renewed warnings over an “AI bubble.” Recent layoff announcements from Amazon, UPS, and Target have prompted discussion about how AI, automation, and economic pressures are shaping corporate decisions.

Microsoft, Novo Nordisk, and Recruit Holdings were among major employers cutting thousands of jobs between July and September 2025. Technology, energy, pharma, and aviation all saw significant layoffs as companies tightened operations and refocused on automation.

Amazon confirmed about 14,000 corporate job cuts to streamline operations and focus investment on AI, with reports indicating the restructuring could go further.

The UK has launched a national plan for 400,000 new clean energy jobs by 2030, aligning with global efforts by the US and EU to train workers and boost pay in the green economy.

Nestlé plans to remove 16,000 jobs worldwide, including corporate and R&D positions, and expand its cost-saving target to CHF 3 billion by 2027.

Meta is reviving Facebook job listings through Marketplace, starting in the U.S. The new tool targets local and entry-level work, with stricter policies on fairness and data use.

Falling production and job cuts in Germany’s auto sector raise questions about the future of industry and policy in Europe.

The European Commission launches a €22.5 million call to recruit top researchers from around the world for long-term postdoctoral positions in Europe.

The U.S. government shutdown has entered its second day, with many federal employees furloughed and others continuing to work without pay as the administration signals possible layoffs.

A draft EU law would require employers to inform workers about algorithmic management systems, ban certain data uses, and ensure human review of major job decisions. The proposal marks a new approach to regulating workplace technology across Europe.

Europe’s largest rare-earth magnet factory has opened in Narva, Estonia, with EU support. The plant is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs and help transition the local workforce toward green technology manufacturing.

The new $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applicants is set to impact US tech hiring, Indian IT firms, and the international flow of skilled workers, with global industry leaders assessing its long-term significance.

Microsoft will introduce standalone Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites without Teams in Europe, following a European Commission settlement designed to open up the market for rival workplace apps.

Novo Nordisk, the company behind Ozempic and Wegovy, will cut 9,000 jobs globally as competition increases and the pharmaceutical industry adapts to new challenges.

The United States has launched a secure AI platform giving federal employees access to models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta.

While healthcare and ICT dominate headlines, Cedefop’s Labour and Skills Shortage Index highlights less visible gaps in Europe’s workforce, such as senior leadership succession and STEM shortages.