Stay grounded in something real
The March jobs report caught everyone off guard, and now the AI reskilling gap is turning into a real hiring challenge.
Hey there,
This week, I was named to Atlas and Hoxo’s Top 100 Recruitment Leaders in North America. Honestly, I had no idea I was on their radar.
A year ago, I made a commitment to post on LinkedIn every day. I stuck with it, knowing that consistency mattered—not just for the algorithm, but because you only get better by putting your work out there. Even after 11 million impressions, I never expected this outcome.
I also learned how important it is to listen. The comments, direct messages, and even the pushback all help. That feedback makes the content better over time.
But honestly, the real reason any of this works is simple. I do not focus on myself. I write about Latin America—its talent, history, culture, and the amazing talent markets that many US founders miss. That focus is why I started Lupa. When content is based on real experiences, people notice.
Grateful to represent Latin America recruiting on the leaderboard. And to everyone who reads, comments, and shares, you are the reason this platform means anything. This is just the beginning.
Let’s get into it.
🌐 News Shortlist
1. The March Jobs Report Just Threw Everyone’s Predictions Out the Window
Recap: The US economy added 178,000 jobs in March 2026, far exceeding the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 59,000. The gain follows February’s revised loss of 133,000 jobs. Unemployment held at 4.3%. Health care, construction, and transportation led the gains. Federal government employment continued to decline, with the government now down roughly 355,000 employees since early 2025. Meanwhile, labor force participation slipped, and long-term unemployment remained elevated.
The headline number looks great—three times the forecast and the biggest monthly gain since Trump’s second term began. But if you are actually hiring, the details in the report matter more and tell a more complex story.
Right now, the labor market is best described as ‘low-hire, low-fire.’ Most people are not being laid off, except in the federal workforce, but they are not changing jobs either. Quit rates are at historic lows because workers feel it is risky to switch. While this looks good for retention, it actually means the pool of candidates for open roles is smaller and less active than it appears.
The sectors adding jobs show where demand is strongest. Health care continues to grow, corresponding with demographic trends. Construction is up because of infrastructure projects across the country. The shrinking federal workforce is sending experienced people into the private sector. If you are hiring for operations, compliance, or program management, this is a talent pool worth considering.
Overall, this is not a boom or a bust. The best candidates have choices and are prudent about making moves. If you want to hire top talent now, you need to act quickly and make stronger offers than you did last year.
Advice:
Do not assume the market is opening up just because of the 178,000 jobs number. The people you want are already employed and comfortable. Your offer has to be strong enough to make them consider leaving their current job.
2. 67% of Workers Say Their Employer Is Failing on AI Training
Recap: New research from SHRM and Gloat found that 67% of US workers disagree that their employer has acted proactively in training them to work alongside AI. Only 17% report that their company is doing anything meaningful to upskill workers in AI-impacted roles. Meanwhile, 51% of workers say they want more AI training. Separately, 80% of HR leaders now use AI for functions like researching employment laws and summarizing reports, but only one in ten has fully automated any HR function.
The reskilling gap is turning into one of the year’s biggest hiring stories. It is not a new problem, but it is getting worse just as AI adoption speeds up.
It is simple: companies are rolling out AI tools faster than they are training employees to use them. This creates a two-speed workforce—a small group of ‘power users’ who learn on their own, and a much larger group that falls behind. As Anthropic’s head of economics said at the Axios AI Summit last month, there is no big difference in unemployment figures between AI-exposed and non-exposed jobs yet. But the skills gap within those jobs is growing quickly.
This has a direct impact on hiring. If you are a founder or operator building an AI-ready team, you have two choices. You can hire people who already have these qualifications and compete with everyone else, or you can hire strong candidates and train them. Right now, 67% of workers say their employer is not investing in training. That is your chance.
The EU AI Act is also worth mentioning here. By August 2, 2026, any company using AI to screen, rank, or evaluate job candidates in the EU must comply with documentation, bias audit, and human review requirements. If you use AI in your hiring process and have any European exposure, that deadline is four months away.
Advice:
Companies that train their teams on AI now will have an advantage in hiring and keeping talent over the next two years. Those who wait will be fighting for the same small group of self-taught people. Build these skills inside your company—it is cheaper, faster, and helps build loyalty.
3. Foxconn Bet $900 Million That Mexico Is the Future of AI Hardware
Recap: Foxconn is building a massive AI server assembly facility in Jalisco, Mexico, with an investment of approximately $900 million. The plant will produce NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 servers, primarily for OpenAI’s $500 billion Stargate project. NVIDIA’s sales in Mexico grew 300% over the past year, and the company has added 45 new corporate partners in the country since late 2024. Foxconn recently invested an additional $136 million to expand capacity and was not slowed by tariff uncertainty.
While the US discusses tariff refunds and return-to-office rules, Foxconn is busy building the world’s largest assembly operation for advanced AI servers—in Mexico.
The Jalisco plant will make NVIDIA’s GB200 servers, which power the Stargate project. Foxconn did not pause when tariffs were announced. The company grew its server business in Mexico during Trump’s first term and is investing even more now. When asked about tariff risks, several manufacturers gave the same answer: they are staying.
It is not exclusively about cost. Geography, mature supply chains, and a growing talent pipeline all play a role. NVIDIA is working with UNAM and Tec de Monterrey. There are now 1,100 AI startups in Latin America using NVIDIA’s platforms. Mexico City has the region’s largest tech talent pool, with 300,000 professionals.
If you think of Latin America only as a nearshoring option, it is time to broaden your view. The region is not simply a place to hire software engineers—it is where some of the world’s most advanced hardware is being built for the biggest AI project ever announced. The talent pool and infrastructure are growing side by side.
Advice:
Latin America’s value is rising fast. If you have considered the region for engineering or operations hires, now is the time to move. The companies investing $900 million are not making guesses—they have already run the numbers.
That’s it for this week.
Three stories, one theme: the labor market is not broken, it is changing. New jobs are appearing, but they need new skills. Companies are putting millions into new regions, but talent pipelines are still developing. The gap between companies that adapt and those that wait is growing every quarter.
The best thing you can do now is simple: hire well, train your team, and build where the fundamentals are going. That is exactly what we help companies do at lupahire.com.
Until next time,
Joseph Burns
CEO & Founder, Lupa