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93% of Job Seekers Say They Are AI-Ready, but 41% of Employers Expect Advanced Skills

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Companies increasingly want candidates who can apply AI effectively in the workplace, not simply use the technology.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nearly every job seeker believes they are AI-ready, but many may be underestimating what companies now expect, according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.

AI proficiency is moving from a nice-to-have to a foundational skill for many jobs.

That confidence is nearly universal, with 93% of job seekers saying they have the AI skills employers want. However, only 35% of job seekers believe companies are looking for advanced or expert AI capabilities, while 41% of hiring managers say candidates need them.

AI proficiency isn’t reserved for highly technical candidates, either. Nine in 10 hiring managers look for at least basic AI skills, and more than half (54%) consider AI proficiency very important or absolutely essential when evaluating applicants.

AI Joins Traditional Hiring Priorities

Even as AI skills become a factor in hiring, job seekers believe employers still place the greatest value on long-standing workplace qualities. When asked which attributes companies consider absolutely essential in applicants, they ranked dependability, work ethic and communication skills ahead of technical and AI capabilities:

Dependability: 47%, down from 52% in the fall of 2023Work ethic: 47%, compared with 48% in the fall of 2024Communication skills: 45%, unchanged from the fall of 2024Technical skills: 29%, compared with 25% in the fall of 2024AI skills: 19%

What Employers Mean by AI-Ready

While job seekers may rank traditional qualities higher, hiring managers are looking for specific AI capabilities:

Awareness of data privacy and security concerns: 45%Ability to communicate AI findings or concepts clearly and effectively: 45%Understanding bias and fairness in AI: 37%

Job seekers’ assessments of their own abilities, however, vary widely. More than half of millennials (55%) and half of Gen Z job seekers (50%) describe their AI skills as advanced or expert, compared with 31% of Gen X and 12% of baby boomers and seniors. Men are also more likely to anticipate that higher bar, with 42% expecting advanced or expert proficiency compared with 28% of women.

The generational divide is just as clear in what job seekers think employers want. Forty-three percent of Gen Z and millennials believe companies expect advanced or expert AI skills, compared with 25% of Gen X and 10% of baby boomers and seniors. A similar gap emerges between men and women, with 42% of men expecting companies to seek that level of proficiency compared with 28% of women.

“AI proficiency is moving from a nice-to-have to a foundational skill for many jobs,” said Bob Funk Jr., CEO, president and chairman of Express Employment International. “Job seekers who invest in their own development now can gain practical experience and a better understanding of how to use the technology responsibly. Knowing how AI works is only part of the equation. Employees also need to know how to question its output, communicate what it produces and apply it effectively on the job.”

Discover more research and real-world workforce trends from the America Employed series at ExpressPros.com/Newsroom.

Survey Methodology
The Job Seeker Report was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from May 19 to June 8, 2026, among 1,000 adults ages 18 and older who are employed but looking for a new job or not employed and looking for work.

The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from May 13 to June 1, 2026, among 1,006 U.S. hiring decision-makers.

For full survey methodologies, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

About Robert (Bob) Funk Jr.
Robert (Bob) Funk Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of Express Employment International, a global staffing franchisor founded and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He leads a portfolio of workforce solution brands, including the flagship Express Employment Professionals franchise, along with several affiliated brands serving specialized markets. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing more than 11 million people globally since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

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SOURCE Express Services dba Express Employment Professionals

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Ondo Launches Intelligent Portfolios, Powered by BlackRock, Bringing Portfolio Strategies Onchain

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September 24, 2026

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New Ondo Intelligent Portfolios will offer portfolio tokens based on portfolio strategies developed by BlackRock for Ondo, bringing professionally designed portfolios delivered as single onchain tokens for eligible investors outside the United States.

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ondo Finance today launched a new onchain product category: Ondo Intelligent Portfolios, curated portfolios delivered as single onchain transferable tokens. The three portfolio tokens launched today are based on portfolio strategies powered by BlackRock, developed by BlackRock for Ondo, marking the first time eligible onchain investors can access exposure to such strategies through a single token.

Diversified, professionally constructed strategies have historically required brokerage accounts and traditional fund structures. Now, delivered as peer-to-peer transferable tokens from Ondo, these onchain portfolios become accessible to eligible non-US investors in permitted jurisdictions through the wallets, exchanges, and DeFi applications they already use.

Distribution is only part of the story. Bringing portfolios onchain can unlock novel capabilities: rebalancing that executes automatically at the smart contract level, portfolios that are fully programmable and composable with the broader onchain economy, and the potential to combine asset classes within a single token. Ondo Intelligent Portfolios establishes the infrastructure to bring portfolios based on leading asset managers’ strategies onchain.

“Tokenization creates new ways for portfolio strategies to be delivered through digital infrastructure. Diversified portfolio strategies can be incorporated into tokenized investment products, enabling eligible investors to access diversified allocations through a single instrument. It shows how established portfolio construction approaches can be delivered through new channels and technologies.” – Lisa O’Connor is Global Head of the Model Portfolio Solutions team and the Co-CIO for Global Solutions within the Multi-Asset Strategies group at BlackRock

Three custom portfolio strategies addressing three specific needs are launched today across income, allocation, and thematic strategies:

BLKHIon: Ondo High Income Powered by BlackRockBLKDIGon: Ondo Diversified Growth Powered by BlackRockBLKGRWon: Ondo High Growth Powered by BlackRock

“Portfolios like these have never been available onchain. Now, they are made accessible onchain, transferable at any time, and usable across DeFi. This launch represents an important milestone in the development of onchain investment products. By incorporating strategies drawn on BlackRock’s longstanding portfolio construction experience into tokenized investment structures, eligible investors in supported jurisdictions can obtain exposure to diversified portfolio allocations through a single token. ” – Ian De Bode, Acting CEO and President, Ondo Finance

Holding a portfolio token provides economic exposure to the portfolio’s underlying basket. Each portfolio token is issued by Ondo Global Markets and tokenized by Ondo Finance. Investors mint or redeem a single token to hold a weighted basket of tokenized assets, without buying, weighting, or rebalancing individual positions themselves. Holdings, weights, and every rebalance are visible onchain, and the tokens are transferable peer-to-peer across wallets, exchanges, and DeFi protocols.

Ondo intends to expand the product line with additional onchain portfolios over time.

About Ondo Finance
Ondo Finance is a blockchain-based platform focused on tokenizing real-world assets and bringing institutional-quality financial products onchain. By bridging traditional finance and decentralized infrastructure, Ondo aims to make capital markets more accessible, transparent, and efficient.

About Ondo Global Markets
Ondo Global Markets is an issuance and redemption platform for tokenized publicly traded U.S. stocks and ETFs. It enables investors outside the United States to gain economic exposure to these assets by minting, transferring, and redeeming securities-backed tokens. Each token is fully backed by the corresponding stock or ETF (together with cash in transit).

About BlackRock
BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate

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SOURCE Ondo Finance

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Upstate South Carolina Women4Women Giving Circle Announces 2026 Grant Winners

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September 24, 2026

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Four local nonprofits receive $34,000 in grants supporting women, children and families

CLEMSON, S.C., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Women4Women (W4W), an Upstate South Carolina giving circle of the Community Foundation of Greater Clemson, has awarded $34,000 in grants to four local nonprofit organizations providing critical services to women, children and families.

The grants will support a range of needs, including temporary housing, education and training for survivors of domestic violence, safe spaces for children, and emergency assistance with essential household expenses.

The Susan Marie Foster Sharp Memorial Grant, W4W’s lead annual grant recognizing organizations making significant change for women, awarded $25,000 to The Hiding Place, which provides safe spaces where survivors of domestic violence and their children can heal, rebuild and thrive.

“It’s such an honor,” said The Hiding Place Co-Executive Director Breann Griffin. “This grant will help us establish The Monarch Center, a trauma-informed space where survivors can participate in educational programs and activities that foster connection and community, while providing children with a dedicated space to play.”

Since its founding in 2023, The Hiding Place has served more than 1,500 women and 750 children.

Three additional nonprofits received grants of $3,000 each:

MARYS House — supporting safety, advocacy, and independence for victims of domestic violence through faith-based family services.

Pickens County First Steps — supporting programs that engage families, caregivers, and community partners to help children enter school ready to reach their highest potential.

The Salvation Army of Oconee County— providing emergency funds for utilities and rent.

Giving circles are an increasingly prominent model in philanthropy, enabling people of varying financial means to pool resources and make charitable decisions collectively. Members engage with community needs and nonprofit organizations, allowing combined contributions to have a greater local impact.

“The W4W giving circle is just that—a close-knit community of women investing in other women and, in the process, enriching all of our lives,” said Cheryl J. Dye, Ph.D., W4W Chair. “When pooled together, relatively small individual donations can have a tremendous impact on these and other worthy organizations to change many lives.”

W4W members each contribute $300 or more annually, or $100 or more for student members.

Women4Women was the brainchild of the late Susan Sharp, former Executive Director of The Community Foundation of Greater Clemson. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/upstate-south-carolina-women4women-giving-circle-announces-2026-grant-winners-302888033.html

SOURCE Women 4 Women

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GEP MAKES CLEAN SWEEP OF THE HACKETT GROUP’S FALL 2026 SOLUTIONMAP, ONLY PROVIDER NAMED ‘TOP TECH’ IN EVERY CATEGORY

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September 24, 2026

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GEP earns 12 Top Tech badges, leading Source-to-Pay, Source-to-Contract and every procurement technology category evaluated Independent assessment of 500+ capabilities, mandatory product demonstrations and verified customer ratings validates GEP’s unmatched breadth

CLARK, N.J., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GEP®, a leading provider of AI-driven procurement and supply chain software, consulting and services for Fortune 500 and Global 2000 enterprises worldwide, announced today that GEP QUANTUM INTELLIGENCE made a clean sweep of The Hackett Group’s Fall 2026 SolutionMap, becoming the only provider named Top Tech in every category evaluated. 

Go HERE to view the analyst report, detailing GEP’s 12 Top Tech badges, spanning Source-to-Pay (S2P), Source-to-Contract (S2C) and every individual procurement technology module evaluated. eProcurement, Procure-to-Pay, AP Automation, Contract Lifecycle Management, Sourcing, Supplier Management, Spend Analytics, Risk Management, Intake and Orchestration, and Carbon Management.

“Procurement technology decisions carry real organizational risk. When a provider appears in SolutionMap, it means they’ve earned their place through a process built on 500+ capability criteria, mandatory demonstrations and verified customer ratings — not marketing claims. Buyers can shortlist with confidence,” said Bryan DeGraw, Solution Intelligence Principal, The Hackett Group®.

The results reinforce GEP’s leadership as a comprehensive AI-native procurement platform, bringing together procurement data, embedded intelligence, AI-driven workflows and governance across a single platform. GEP achieved Top Tech recognition across:

Source-to-Pay (S2P) & Source-to-Contract (S2C) – Top Tech recognition across both major procurement suites

Intake & Orchestration – Recognized for AI-driven workflows, no-code configurability and end-to-end orchestration

Sourcing & Supplier Management – Advanced capabilities supporting sourcing and supplier management across the procurement lifecycle

Spend Analytics & Risk Management – Intelligence and visibility to help procurement teams identify opportunities and manage supplier risk

Procure-to-Pay (P2P), eProcurement & AP Automation – Integrated capabilities spanning requisitioning through payment

Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) – Top Tech recognition for contract management capabilities

Carbon Management – Advanced ESG tracking and decarbonization planning capabilities.

About The Hackett Group® SolutionMap

The Hackett Group’s SolutionMap provides an independent, data-driven assessment of procurement technology solutions. The Hackett Group’s SolutionMap evaluates procurement technology providers using 500+ capability criteria, mandatory product demonstrations and verified customer ratings, providing procurement leaders with an independent, evidence-based assessment of technology capabilities and customer value. The evaluation combines extensive capability assessments, mandatory demonstrations and verified customer ratings to help procurement leaders compare providers and identify solutions that meet their requirements.

About GEP

GEP® delivers AI-native procurement and supply chain Quantum Intelligence platform, consulting and services that help global enterprises become more agile and resilient, operate more efficiently and effectively, gain competitive advantage, boost profitability and increase shareholder value. Our customers are the world’s best companies, including more than 550 Fortune 500 and Global 2000 industry leaders who rely on GEP to meet ambitious strategic, financial and operational goals. A leader in multiple Gartner Magic Quadrants, GEP’s AI-native Quantum Intelligence platform consistently win awards and recognition from industry analysts, research firms and media outlets, including Gartner, Forrester, IDC, ISG, and Spend Matters. GEP is also regularly ranked a top procurement and supply chain consulting and strategy firm, and a leading managed services provider by ALM, Everest Group, NelsonHall, IDC, ISG and HFS, among others. Headquartered in Clark, New Jersey, GEP has offices and operations centers across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. To learn more, visit www.gep.com.

Media Contact
Derek Creevey
GEP
derek.creevey@gep.com

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SOURCE GEP

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