Workforce
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.
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.
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.
Teacher Externship
In the summer, teachers and counselors spend time with some of St. Joseph’s major employers to learn what careers are like so they can accurately describe the St. Joseph workplace in the classroom. Each year educators leave the program with much more knowledge about St. Joseph employers and are excited to share that knowledge with students.
NorthWest 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.
Summer Intern City Orientation
In the summer, some employers send their summer interns on events hosted by the Chamber of Commerce to help them get to know St. Joseph better. They spend time exploring fun amenities in town that showcase why St. Joseph is a great place to start their career after their internship is complete.
