MassHire’s Bruce Mendelsohn on AI Talent Gaps, Tariff Impacts, and the Shifting Job Market in Central Massachusetts

Bruce Mendelsohn of MassHire Central offers insight on how AI, tariffs, and remote work are reshaping employment trends across Central Massachusetts.

By Hank Stolz | Radio Worcester

(Photo-iStock)

Worcester, Mass.-The interview covers the current state of the economy and job market, with a focus on the impacts of tariffs, AI, and remote work trends. The interviewee, Bruce Mendelssohn from Mass Hire Central Workforce Development, provides insights into how these factors are affecting hiring and employment in central Massachusetts. The global and national economy is projected to slow down, driven by trade tensions, tariffs, and policy uncertainty. The impacts of tariffs are not yet fully realized, but are already causing hiring freezes and hesitancy among employers to make investments. Mendelsohn says “We won’t really see their (tariffs) impacts on employment and output until later this year, perhaps by the fourth quarter.” Among the things Mendelsohn said -Projected GDP growth slowdown from 2.9% in 2024 to 2.4% in 2025 . Massachusetts unemployment rate of 4.4% in March, higher than the projected 3.7% average. High demand and long waitlists for IT certification courses offered by Mass Hire Estimates that nearly 50% of AI-related positions cannot be filled due to talent shortages.

This article was sourced from a transcript of a recent interview conducted by Hank Stolz on the Radio Worcester program Talk of the Commonwealth.