Maimai.cn, a Chinese business and career-oriented social networking company, as well as LinkedIn’s biggest rival in China, has raised USD 75 million in a new funding round, reports Technode. The series C funding was led by DCM Ventures and IDG Capital and was supported by job board, Zhaopin, Zhilian Recruitment and Morningside Capital. The company stated that the latest funding round will support the firm’s further market development. Maimai.cn states that it has a user base of more than 30 million registered users with more than 50% from China’s first-tier cities.

The careers and networking service will no longer accept job ads from individuals in China, as Beijing cracks down on abusive pyramid schemes.

LinkedIn India has announced its partnership with IL&FS Skills Development Corporation Ltd., a vocational and employability training company, to help upskill and improve the employability of blue-collar workers and job-seekers in India.

The partnership will enable LinkedIn to bring the population of blue-collar workers online, enabling them to access training courses and opportunities. As part of the initiative, IL&FS Skills will continue to design and provide skilling modules and training and LinkedIn will help the participants find a job.

“Students will learn to leverage the placement platform of LinkedIn by learning to create a digital CV, building online profile and expanding their network by connecting with classmates, seniors, employers and instructors,” Sachin Kapoor, Head of India and South East Asia, Business Development, LinkedIn, said. “They will also have access to the classroom content online and the LinkedIn learning platform to upskill and ultimately get a job.”

“India has a massive blue-collar workforce, one that can be a game-changer for businesses and our economy. We hope that this partnership will help narrow the gap between the demand and supply of talent,” Akshay Kothari, Country Manager and Head of Product at LinkedIn India, said.

The programme, launched as a pilot project, will begin this month at the IL&FS Skills Development Centre, with 400 jobseekers looking for careers in hospitality. The plan is to expand to other sectors.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A U.S. federal judge on Monday ruled that Microsoft Corp’s LinkedIn unit cannot prevent a startup from accessing public profile data, in a test of how much control a social media site can wield over information its users have deemed to be public.

Source:: Analytics Firm Asks Court to Stop LinkedIn from Blocking Profile Access       

The Philippines Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) has formed a partnership with LinkedIn to address jobs-skills mismatch.

Under the partnership agreement, DOLE and LinkedIn published the Philippines Skills Report which contains data on top skills of four million LinkedIn Filipino members and includes in-demand jobs in the country. The report aims to help companies find employees who fit their hiring criteria.

Labour and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III, commented on the report, “It will help companies to fulfill their hiring needs and for the job seekers to find right opportunities fitted with their expertise.”

“In support of the Philippine government’s effort, LinkedIn is helping to bridge this gap and support local business by effectively connecting talent and skill with the right opportunities,” Bello said.

DOLE will also use the report as a reference for its other job and skills development projects.