Workforce

Workforce Development Alliance

The purpose of the alliance is to coordinate local training and educational initiatives to support a prepared and engaged workforce, leading to successful outcomes for business and industry.

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, St. Joseph Public School District, Hillyard Technical Center, Missouri Western State University, the United Way of Greater St. Joseph and local businesses form the St. Joseph Workforce Development Alliance.

Our People are Our Greatest Resource – And Yours.

St. Joseph workers have gained a well-deserved reputation for hard work, high productivity and low rates of turnover. Since St. Joseph is the largest city in the region, it draws from a large pool of employable workers from surrounding counties.

Many members of our workforce have longstanding generational ties to agriculture and manufacturing in the surrounding rural communities, and are proud to build their careers in St. Joseph.

 

I TAKE YOU TO NEW HEIGHTS.

KEVIN SMITH | Senior Supervisor
Altec Industries, Inc.
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I CAN LIFT A TRUCK WITH ONE HAND.

MITCH SANDERS | Manufacturing Intern
Gray Manufacturing CO., Inc.
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I MAKE YOUR PETS HEALTHIER.

BLAKE PARKER | Group Leader
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc.
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St. Joseph Manufacturing Day​

Manufacturing Day is a national day set aside to recognize the importance of the manufacturing industry and the diverse, highly-skilled jobs that are available in our community. 

Held the first Friday in October each year, community organizations and companies come together to lift up the industry and the possible career paths available. 

Click Here to learn more

Edge Factor

St. Joseph has the edge in workforce development because it partners with Edge Factor to provide local students with online learning tools about careers in a variety of fields, especially those in technical fields like skilled manufacturing and healthcare. Schools get access to the platform and are encouraged to use it with students when developing career paths. Click here to learn more. 

 

 

Work Ready Communities

Buchanan County is a, ACT Work Ready Community, which means it is working to transform its economy by developing a workforce that will enable existing business to expand and attract new businesses to the community. This is a program that is offered through the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Work Ready Communities recognize the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), which is an assessment of an employee’s math, reading, and locating workplace skills.  For more on the program visit this website.

Buchanan County is Certified and Maintained through September 17, 2025

My Success Event

Area businesses promote career opportunities available to more than 2,100 area students from 33 Northwest Missouri high schools. Held in October each year, representatives from more than 80 businesses meet one on one with students and encourage them to develop a career path. Through a career laboratory, they share the educational and technical skills necessary to pursue their career interests in the local economy. 

North West Missouri Apprenticeship Program

Apprenticeship is an effective way to gain the necessary training to enter the workforce making a livable wage with ample opportunity for advancement. Registered youth apprenticeship combines related technical instruction (coursework at Hillyard Technical Center) and on the job training (scheduled with the partnering employer) to give students the opportunity to gain the technical and employability skills necessary to be successful post-graduation. The program has seven strands, over 30 local participating employers and several schools in Northwest Missouri participating. Click here to learn more.