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Skills Remain in Focus as Hiring Momentum Moderates Across APME in Q3 2026, ManpowerGroup Survey Finds

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SINGAPORE, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Even as hiring sentiment across Asia Pacific and the Middle East (APME) moderated in Q3 2026, employers continue to indicate a willingness to pay a premium for skills including AI literacy as well as communication, collaboration, and teamwork, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

The survey of 13,168 employers across 11 APME countries and territories found that 43% of employers plan to increase headcount in the coming quarter, 15% anticipate a decrease in staffing levels, while 41% expect no change. This results in a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of +28%, down 10 points from Q2 2026, while remaining unchanged year over year.

“The broad moderation in hiring sentiment across the region reflects a far more complex operating environment in Q3, shaped by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and rising cost pressures,” said François Lançon, Regional President, Asia Pacific & Middle East, ManpowerGroup. “These forces are affecting markets unevenly, dampening confidence in more trade‑ and energy‑exposed economies, while growth markets with strong domestic demand and technology momentum show relative resilience. Even so, employers are taking a more cautious approach to hiring as the downstream effects of higher energy and operating costs continue to unfold.”

Beyond hiring intentions, the survey examined which technical and interpersonal skills employers are willing to pay a premium for in the coming quarter. Employers in APME report being willing to pay a premium for technical skills including AI literacy (69%), AI model and application development (68%), and sales and marketing skills (66%). While soft skills employers in the region are willing to pay a premium for include communication, collaboration, and teamwork (74%), followed by critical thinking and problem‑solving (71%), with adaptability and willingness to learn, as well as professionalism and work ethic tied for third at 70%.

View the full results: https://www.manpower.com.sg/en/meos-apme

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years.

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SOURCE ManpowerGroup

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PCL Construction invests in Canadian Skilled Trades Education and Awareness, Lead-Sponsor of That Could Be Me.

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TORONTO, May 26, 2026 /CNW/ – PCL Construction has joined That Could Be Me as Lead Sponsor, helping support a new initiative aimed at strengthening awareness of careers in the Canadian Skilled Trades and addressing the country’s ongoing labour shortage. The partnership brings together PCL Construction and Stature Films to create a documentary-style educational video series aiming to inspire more Canadian youth to consider a career in Skilled Trades.

PCL’s support reflects a practical investment in workforce development at a time when Canada continues to face persistent skilled trades shortages, including the need to replace retiring workers and fill critical roles across the industry. The uniquely 100% employee-owned company has publicly emphasized the importance of supporting trade education and youth engagement initiatives as part of a broader effort to build the next generation of workers.

“This is a very big priority for PCL, getting more young people into these incredible, rewarding careers. The skilled labour shortage affects all of us and we need to act immediately to fix it,” said Chris Gower, PCL’s President and CEO.

“PCL is demonstrating real leadership by putting resources behind a solution, not just talking about the problem,” said Andrew Sorlie, Co-Founder of Stature Films and co-creator of the project. “That Could Be Me is about changing perception, opening doors, and showing more Canadians that a future in the trades is a future worth choosing.”

“Real job sites. Real tradespeople. Real career paths that keep our country running. We’re telling real human stories, and introducing real pathways to students” said Victor Pereira, Owner of Spitfire Recruiting Inc. “I have three kids of my own, two are girls. They need to see themselves on screen if they are going to take this idea seriously. This partnership helps advance a message the industry needs to hear: the skilled trades are essential, and if you want to be a part of building Canada, there is room for you here.”

That Could Be Me is an in-school film-driven educational initiative focused on helping reshape how young people, educators, and families think about the skilled trades. Through compelling storytelling and industry collaboration, the project aims to make trade careers feel more accessible, relevant, and aspirational.

PCL Construction is a 100 percent employee-owned construction company operating across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Australia. The company has a long history of supporting community programs and skilled trades initiatives, including efforts focused on youth engagement and trade awareness.

That Could Be Me is a Stature Films initiative developed in collaboration with Spitfire Recruiting Inc. Stature Films is a Toronto-based production company led by Andrew and Emily Sorlie, creating documentary-style, interview-driven video content for organizations that want to communicate with clarity and impact.

Learn more about That Could Be Me online here.

About PCL Construction
PCL Construction is one of the most respected and accomplished global construction leaders, comprising independent companies operating throughout Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Australia. With an annual construction volume of $13.8 billion CAD, PCL builds projects that shape communities and strengthen infrastructure. The company’s 100% employee ownership model fuels a culture of commitment for clients in the buildings, civil infrastructure, heavy industrial and solar markets. With a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers, PCL’s leadership teams consistently drive innovation and set new benchmarks for excellence, bringing unparalleled skill to every project. Watch us build at PCL.com.

About Stature Films
Stature Films is a Toronto-based production company that creates interview-driven, documentary-style videos for organizations seeking compelling, people-centered storytelling.

About Spitfire Recruiting
Spitfire Recruiting Inc. works with employers to strengthen recruitment strategy and connect organizations with the talent they need.

SOURCE PCL Construction

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AMPERA Establishes Australian Subsidiary to Secure Thorium Supply and Support U.S. Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., June 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AMPERA today announced its factory-built, scalable, supercritical nuclear energy system will be fueled by thorium procured from Australia and produced in-house by the company.

In October 2025, the United States government announced a framework with Australia securing supply for mining and processing of critical, rare-Earth minerals. In February, AMPERA formed Ampera Australia Pty Ltd to expedite the procurement and import of thorium to the U.S.

“Our strategy is to secure thorium directly at the source and vertically integrate the entire fuel value chain, from mineral supply through advanced fuel production,” said AMPERA Founder and CEO Brian Matthews. “Thorium offers a compelling combination of abundance, energy potential, economics, and safety, making it an ideal fuel for AMPERA’s advanced microreactors and a promising resource for the broader nuclear industry.”

AMPERA’s broad fuel platform is built on proprietary processes protected by trade secrets and more than 60 patents for nuclear fuel manufacturing, including proprietary jetting technology used to produce high-quality safe tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel kernels.

Advanced thorium fuel cycles have the potential to achieve significantly higher fuel utilization than conventional uranium fuel cycles. According to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, thorium could potentially offer a long-term solution to humanity’s energy needs.

Thorium, periodic table element 90, is naturally occurring and over three times more abundant in Earth’s crust than uranium. While thorium can provide an energy dense fuel source, it is weakly radioactive, yet fertile, allowing it to be converted into reactor fuel. Additionally, it is far less conducive for weapons proliferation and has the potential to reduce long-lived actinide waste relative to conventional uranium-plutonium fuel cycles.

“Thorium is the future for ultra-safe, clean power production,” Matthews said. “By producing TRISO thorium kernels in the United States, we can ensure ample access to the needed fuel supply as we scale up and also minimize price volatility risk.”

In April, AMPERA held a grand opening for its global headquarters in Florida. The company plans to produce TRISO thorium kernels at another location in the state. AMPERA’s advanced reactors will be factory sealed and are being designed not to require refueling for 30 years.

About AMPERA
AMPERA is an advanced next-generation energy company pioneering subcritical thorium-based microreactor systems for the AI era that are energy dense and do not require refueling. Through its proprietary TRISO fuel platform, neutron-source technology and advanced additive manufacturing, AMPERA delivers scalable, factory-built, rapidly deployable, emission-free power for data centers, defense, industrial and maritime applications. Learn more at www.amperacleanenergy.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ampera-establishes-australian-subsidiary-to-secure-thorium-supply-and-support-us-advanced-nuclear-fuel-production-302794237.html

SOURCE AMPERA

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Park Systems Secures KRW 100 Billion in Strategic Financing to Expand Production Capacity and Accelerate Global Growth

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GWACHEON, South Korea, June 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Park Systems Corp. (KOSDAQ: 140860), a global leader in atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanometrology, today announced the successful completion of a KRW 100 billion (approximately USD 72 million) strategic financing through the issuance of perpetual bonds with warrants, with Kiwoom Securities and Dominus Investment Management each subscribing KRW 50 billion. The proceeds will support the company’s production capacity expansion and broader strategic initiatives as demand for precision nanometrology continues to grow across the semiconductor and advanced materials industries.

The bonds were issued at par with 0% interest for the first three years, followed by a step-up interest structure. Warrants are exercisable from June 8, 2027 to May 8, 2056 at KRW 267,747 per share, and Park Systems retains a call option to repurchase up to 20% of the bonds at par between June 2027 and June 2029.

“This financing reflects the company’s commitment to scaling its manufacturing infrastructure in alignment with increasing market demand,” said Karen Cho, Senior Executive Vice President at Park Systems. “As semiconductor process nodes shrink and advanced packaging architectures grow more complex, the need for sub-nanometer surface metrology has become critical across front-end and back-end semiconductor manufacturing. We believe this investment will strengthen our ability to meet growing customer demand and better serve customers worldwide.”

Park Systems serves leading global chipmakers and research institutions across more than 30 countries. Building on this momentum, Park Systems reported consolidated revenue of KRW 205.6 billion in 2025. With a diversified customer base that includes major semiconductor manufacturers and a growing installed base in academic and industrial research, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the continued expansion of nanotechnology applications worldwide.

About Park Systems

Park Systems is a global leader in nanometrology, providing advanced measurement solutions for both research and industrial applications. Founded by Dr. Sang-il Park, a contributor to the invention of atomic force microscopy (AFM) at Stanford University, the company has grown through continuous innovation and strategic acquisitions to become a leading force in the global nanometrology industry. Park Systems’ technology portfolio includes AFM, white light interferometry (WLI), digital holographic microscopy (DHM), imaging spectroscopic ellipsometry (ISE), active vibration isolation systems, and solid metal probes. With regional offices across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Park Systems supports customers in semiconductor manufacturing, materials science, and nanotechnology research.

For more information, visit www.parksystems.com

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SOURCE Park Systems Corp.

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