Latest news with #skilledlabor
Fox News
12-07-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Trump's border crackdown prompts Arizona farmer to seek better agricultural labor solutions
An Arizona farmer is pushing for a more functional approach to the hiring of skilled labor in agriculture amid President Donald Trump's border crackdown, telling Fox News Digital that the current system is sowing fear among Hispanic workers. During a visit to the remote, mountainous landscape of Dudleyville, Ariz., farmer Scott Heartquist expressed a desire for more collaboration between business owners, workers, and immigration authorities to find practical solutions that address labor needs — while also upholding the law of the United States. "There's a humanitarian side that everybody's like, 'I feel for them,'" Heartquist said, referencing skilled workers looking to enter the country. "And I even understand that our system isn't set up for them to easily come in." While some farmers have experienced issues with migrants trespassing on or stealing from their properties, Heartquist said his personal relationship with and support for the Hispanic community has allowed him to run his business without issue. "Immigration is such a touchy subject and, you know, we were just talking about it — my staff. They're all legal, but a good portion of the people in the community aren't. And so, we see it, we have it around. We have much less of an issue with it now," he continued. The family farm began on a small piece of land in Arizona. After surviving bone cancer, Scott Heartquist's wife, Christie, worked with her husband to teach their children where their food comes from by growing and raising a healthy meat supply. The family operates its own inspected processing plant at the ranch, providing hormone-free, steroid-free, vaccine-free, and antibiotic-free grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pork, and lamb to locals. The Heartquist family has cultivated not just a solid business but also a close-knit commune. Several family members and staff live on the Heartquist Hollow Farm property in Dudleyville — often sharing fresh meals and stories after a hard day's work. During a warm summer's evening dinner, Saúl Márquez, a butcher at the farm, said he is thankful that the family has provided good working conditions and strong benefits to their immigrant workers. Márquez also praised God for allowing his daughter to flourish as a citizen in the U.S. — a milestone that helped him and his wife obtain permanent residency three years ago. "My friends say that you earn very well here. So, you risk coming here illegally because it's the American dream. It's the American dream. And everyone is going to take a risk. Before, it was easy, now it's not easy," he told Fox News Digital. He also recommended that immigrants explore legal pathways to come to the U.S., such as work visas for farm jobs, rather than trying to enter illegally — stressing that the current political climate has heightened concerns among both documented and undocumented Hispanic workers. "You hear a lot of things about the new administration," Márquez said. "We are, and the people are, very scared. Because I have friends and family who, unfortunately, do not have documents yet. So right now, there is a lot of fear with this administration that people do not want to go out to the stores." A combination of factors — including labor shortages for meat cutters and the cumbersome process of obtaining visas — has made it difficult for the Heartquists to hire workers with the skill set needed to provide the community with a wide range of grass-fed, pasture-raised meats. Heartquist claimed that many of these issues stem from the Obama administration. "You had some abuses going on in some areas, and instead of dealing with the individual abuses, they just cut visas. And so, they made it more challenging for us to get the visas," he said. "I can tell you right now, there are 16-and-17-year-olds in Mexico and Central America that are cutting meat. To be able to bring them in, give them more training, teach them food safety issues, and all of those pieces would be amazing. We just can't. It's not built into our system," Heartquist continued. Without a more robust system and discussions about the potential to bring in workers from other countries to fill these labor needs, Heartquist predicted that immigration issues will continue to proliferate. "We're going to have mass deportations that are going to happen right now. The administration will change in three years," he said. "Maybe it'll still be strict on the border, maybe it won't, and so we'll have another onslaught, another flood of people coming in. The problem that we face is... There's a small portion of that community that's really just not good people, and it gets bled out onto the whole community and that's not fair."
Russia Today
09-07-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
A million Indians could immigrate to Russia — business leader
Up to one million Indian nationals could immigrate to Russia by the end of 2025 to help address a severe shortage of skilled labor, according to Ural Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) President Andrey Besedin. In an interview with the Eurasian News Agency (EAN), he stated that Indian officials told him the figure during a meeting earlier this year, adding that a new Indian consulate is set to open in the city of Yekaterinburg to manage the expected arrivals. 'As far as I've heard from my Indian colleagues, up to one million specialists from India will arrive in Russia, including the Sverdlovsk Region, by the end of the year,' he said. Besedin said Russia's industrial enterprises are under pressure to expand production, both due to state policies on import substitution and the demands of the ongoing military operation in Ukraine. However, he noted that the region lacks a sufficient number of qualified personnel. 'Part of the workforce has been sent to the special military operation, and the youth are not going to factories,' he said. According to Besedin, Indian migrants are expected to work in metallurgy and mechanical engineering. Talks are also underway with Sri Lanka and North Korea about potential labor cooperation, Besedin said. He acknowledged that Russia lacks experience working with migrants from these countries but described the initiative as a 'new level of international labor cooperation.' Russia's Ministry of Labor has forecast a shortage of 3.1 million workers by 2030, and reported that in 2024, companies hired only 47,000 qualified migrants from countries whose citizens require a visa for entry. Following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in March 2024, Russia has implemented stricter migration controls. More than 190,000 foreign nationals were expelled from the country that year, according to the Interior Ministry. A new federal agency was established in April 2025 to enforce immigration rules and reduce violations. Despite the increased restrictions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that reducing the number of labor migrants would not be in Russia's interests. He noted that the country is facing a shortage of workers and warned that lowering immigration levels could render development goals 'less realistic.' At the same time, he emphasized the need to ensure that immigrants obey the law.
Entrepreneur
30-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
India a Conducive Destination for UK MNCs Eyeing to Set up GCCs: Inductus
India offers a highly cost-effective environment compared to the UK, with lower operational and labor costs. Skilled labor in India is generally 60-70 per cent cheaper than in the UK You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The Indian market is a conducive destination for UK enterprises eyeing to set up global capability centres (GCCs) as it offers an innovative, cost-effective digital infrastructure and a workforce with minimal operating expenses, according to a report by Inductus GCC. UK-based companies like HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Barclays already have their GCCs in India. "Businesses can establish their GCC in India with the best amenities by using models like COPO (company-owned partner operated). Also, businesses can monitor their operations in real time with the use of digital twin processes," Inductus said. The COPO model enables an enterprise to establish a GCC with absolute control over intellectual assets (IP), agility, and scalability while the partner manages day-to-day operations, ensuring zero liability, compliance, and maximum efficiency. India offers a highly cost-effective environment compared to the UK, with lower operational and labor costs. Skilled labor in India is generally 60-70 per cent cheaper than in the UK. This percentage reflects the significant cost advantage that companies can leverage when setting up GCCs in India. The second advantage, Inductus highlights, is access to a skilled workforce. AI is transforming careers in India, with 94 per cent of professionals believing AI skills will boost career growth, according to a 2025 study by Emeritus. "Indian workers lead global AI adoption, with 96 per cent using AI tools at work. India has a vast pool of skilled professionals, especially in technology, finance, engineering, and operations. This enables UK companies to tap into top talent for critical functions like software development, data analysis, and customer service," the Inductus report stated. India is rapidly becoming a hub for digital transformation. UK companies benefit from cutting-edge innovations in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, and automation, enhancing their global competitiveness. Moreover, India offers scalability with a large, flexible labor force that allows companies to scale operations quickly without the need for significant upfront investments, making it easier to adapt to market changes or business demands. Further, tax incentives, SEZ benefits, multiple GCC policies of individual state governments, and pro-business reforms make it a highly attractive investment destination. UK enterprises are battling several adversaries which in turn is an opportunity for India to help set up GCCs. Economic uncertainty is the most frequent issue reported by UK enterprises with 29 per cent saying that it is currently influencing their turnover. While it is still a smaller percentage than in 2022, more firms are citing this as a challenge now than they did a few months ago. The cost of labour, the cost of materials (18 per cent), competition (18 per cent), and a lack of domestic demand (17 per cent) are other frequent issues that each affect somewhat less than 5 per cent of enterprises. "As the UK contends with macroeconomic challenges, including inflationary pressures, stagnation, and rising labor costs, India offers a highly attractive alternative, providing UK enterprises with access to cost-efficient operational models, a technically proficient workforce, and advanced digital infrastructure. The ongoing discussions around a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) further enhance the economic synergy between the two countries, paving the way for optimized trade flows and investment," the report stated.
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Building The Trades: We Can't Afford A $10 Billion Annual Housing Loss
Construction workers are in high demand as the country faces a severe affordable housing crisis. The United States and many other parts of the world are currently experiencing an affordable housing crisis. While there are many levers driving that crisis, one critical factor is a shortage of skilled trade workers. New research from the Home Builders Institute and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) revealed that the skilled labor shortage is causing an annual economic impact of $10.8 billion in the single-family home building sector. While home builders face higher material costs and more regulation that adds to time delays and extra costs, they also are scrambling to find skilled labor to start new home projects. The shortages mean fewer new homes are built, which means fewer homeowners are moving up, and fewer existing homes are becoming available to first time buyers as a more affordable option. Without having skilled labor, construction times are extended by an estimated two months. That extended construction time is responsible for the annual economic impact of $10.8 billion, which can be broken down into higher carrying costs and lost production. Extended construction times add up to $2.6 billion in direct costs, plus, it's estimated that in 2024, builders weren't able to build about 19,000 single family homes, representing a loss of $8.1 billion. Now, we need solutions. We need ways to fill that skilled labor gap that can help deliver the housing efficiently and effectively so that the costs are within reach of more Americans. Lowe's Chairman and CEO Marvin Ellison (left) and David Gitlin, Chairman and CEO at Carrier Global ... More Corporation discuss workforce development at Business Roundtable's event. The Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs of top U.S. companies, hosted a forum to discuss how large employers are creating new pathways for workers, including current best practices that expand opportunities in skilled trades and manufacturing roles. One of the main hurdles for these programs to be successful is the perception of these types of jobs. 'I grew up in a rural community in Tennessee and it wasn't uncommon that there was a vocational building next to a high school,' said Marvin Ellison, who serves as chairman and CEO at Lowe's. 'Many of my former classmates turned those into jobs, but then into careers and businesses. Sometime we started looking at that as less than.' Leadership at Lowe's saw that transition happening and decided to take responsibility for change by investing $50 million over five years to a training program to build skills and open the door to individuals wherever they choose to work. 'The construction trade has 500,000 open opportunities as we sit here,' Ellison said. 'There are 80,000 job openings for electricians per year, but they cannot find the skilled labor. AI is not going to fix a hole in your roof or stop a water heater from leaking. We'll always need skilled trades individuals so we started investing directly into vocational schools and organizations with a commitment in skilled trades.' The cultural shift goes well beyond no longer having vocational schools next to high schools. The school systems and their respective high school counselors that have the power to and the role of guiding students into careers and lifelong decisions have metrics based around college placements and therefore rarely point a student into the trades. 'There is a knowledge gap with guidance counselors,' said Calvin Butler, the president and CEO at utility company Exelon Corporation. 'They need to prompt students to consider careers outside of the traditional college path. Think beyond it and change lives.' This Business Roundtable session was moderated by Kevin O'Connor, skilled trades champion and the host of PBS's 'This Old House." Here he speaks with founder of Angi on the career opportunities in the trades. 'Demand in HVAC is doubling, but fewer folks are entering the field,' said David Gitlin, chairman and CEO at HVAC company Carrier Global Corporation. 'In just 10 years, we've gone from 1 of 3 going to a vocational school to 1 in 6. The amount of applicants is decreasing, and the availability of younger applicants is decreasing, and the demand is increasing.' He is leading Carrier to commit to making it a more attractive career by partnering with unions, and creating career advancements to give more upward mobility. The company is offering training, with a focus on the importance of how technology and virtual reality can assist the role, so participants get skills training, plus training in the digital realm. Sara Armbruster is the president and CEO at manufacturing company Steelcase and also said the ultimate need is to reframe views of careers in manufacturing that aren't always someone's first thought of what they want to do, help them see the possibilities which can be a life changing moment. New federal policies are changing the discussion for builders as well, with tariffs adding additional cost pressure and the deportation of immigrants reducing the available skilled worker pool for home builders. While the tariffs seem separate from the labor aspect, they are connected in several ways. A stable cost environment is needed to create a healthy supply chain, improve cost dynamics, and to maintain strong companies that can manage projects. 'Once the tax bill is passed, it will give people more opportunity to forecast costs,' said Peter Davoren, the chairman and CEO at Turner Construction Company. 'The U.S. has gone through modern day industrial revolution, and 90% of all materials for construction can come from the U.S. Eight years ago, one-third came from overseas, that's now at 10%. I think it will go up to 100% of all construction materials in the U.S. I believe we will be self-sufficient building with materials within the U.S.' He says that can happen by making the industry more welcoming. 'We need to provide all encompassing loyalty to employees and shareholders,' he said. 'There are so many workforce development programs providing the models for people to enter the industry, but not attracting them because of the perception of the industry." Finding workers in the short term might rely on immigration program reforms. Part of that could include a clear, efficient path for citizenship for people who seek work in the industry. Currently, immigrants account for 31% of all workers in construction trades, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. When I recently attended NAHB's spring leadership event, a lot of discussion was about how to approach this issue. There is passion around it, considering many builders are small business owners who are reliant on illegal immigrants to sustain their business. While they don't want to do something illegal, they also don't want their business to fail. Armbruster and the other CEOs at the Business Roundtable event hope for more certainty and stability from the government so they can guide their companies in better, more strategic decision making. Recently I was speaking with the editor at Rural Builder magazine who is writing about AI for his audience of 30,000 small builders in small U.S. markets. He spoke about a couple of his readers who have fairly manual processes and was frustrated by their reluctance to adopt technology that will help their business. Understandably, these are small business owners and any and all change is a risk, however, he recognizes that what these builders are doing with spreadsheets and hand drawings can be more accurate and much more efficient by using technology. The supply chain can certainly boost pro usage of technology. If the builder is buying lumber from a dealer that is using digital processes, the builder will need to also get up to speed. But, dealers are equally reluctant to adopt technology because of the large transformation and commitment it takes to do it. When companies do it though, there is a substantial pay off, said Blake Moret, the chairman and CEO at Rockwell Automation. His company has proven that technology offers the ability to be more efficient, and earn more profit. He also has been able to use that profit to expand into new lines of business. Dealers serving home builders could do the same, adding value in pivotal ways with efficiencies that will reduce costs and open the door to more affordable housing. As the nearly $11 billion in annual losses shows, we need solutions now. 'The need for speed cannot be underestimated or overstated,' said Julie Sweet, the chair and CEO at staffing company Accenture. She shared that the speed of transformation is possible. In November 2022, Accenture had only 30 people working on generative AI. Today, just two and a half years later, the company has more than 500,000 who have received AI fundamentals training, and more than 250,000 who have received advanced training, plus more than 70,000 are now deep data and AI specialists. She believes this is something that can be done, and it can be at speed, but it has to be done by thinking collectively. Small- and medium-sized enterprises have to buy in, which in the case of the Rural Builder audience can be a struggle, but it also is where the majority of economic activity happens. Keith Sonderling serves as the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor and is working on an executive order to set up one million apprenticeships every year. He emphasized the importance of technology in this process, in particular the adoption of AI. 'We have to train workers on how to use AI to make their lives better personally and at work and not worry about displacement,' he said. 'We have another executive order about AI literacy to understand how the next generation of workers can use AI. We need to start developing that AI curriculum to get it into classrooms as soon as possible. It really comes down to trust, adoption of AI is hard because there isn't trust.' The objectives are big and critical. The country needs 2.2 million new skilled construction workers over the next 3 years to start to meet what NAHB estimates at 1.5 million housing shortfall. Yet, optimism reigns. Manufacturers and service providers are investing in ways to lower costs for builders by using AI for its time saving advantages. And, we're all in this together. Even the folks in office jobs serving the home building industry have to take a role in building up the image of trade work, and it won't be easy. 'I truly believe the best is yet to come,' Davoren said. 'We have to get through the distractions. Go out and care for everyone you come into contact with and the strangers you don't come in contact with until you meet them for the first time. It's hard work. You might impact someone's life and they will model that behavior and impact someone else's life.'
