Successful Second Round Underway for Youth Outreach Workforce Partnership

The Youth Outreach Workforce Partnership program has begun its second year of providing the "soft skills" training identified as missing in today's workforce by a survey conducted by the Southwest Region Workforce Investment Board. These skills include: 1) getting a fob (application do's & don'ts, interview behavior & appearance), 2) customer service (greetings, thanking the customer, making change), and 3) keeping a job (good work habits, avoiding tardiness & absenteeism, conflict resolution, interacting with team members & supervisors, being a good employee).

Able Manufacturing & Assembly, LLC, Southwest Missouri Bank, JCPenney, Inc, and Rock-Tenn Ave, St. John's Regional Medical Center, Cardinal Scale, General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice and Vatterott College were all instrumental in the partnership with the Chamber, the Career Center, and the WIB.

The students in the program are given a tour of each facility followed by a seminar on one aspect of workforce skills that is particularly important to that company. Response from the students and businesses has been overwhelmingly positive. These businesses and several others have agreed to give a preferential interview to any applicant who successfully completes this program. All the applicant has to do is attach a copy of the Certificate of Achievement to their application. A copy of the certificate is available to view on the chamber website.

The Chamber encourages all of its member businesses to consider joining them in this Employer Interview Pledge and support these individuals in their attempts to become significantly qualified to join today's workforce. Susan Adams, Able Manufacturing & Assembly, LLC, is the Chair of our committee. This year's program runs through March, 2007. If you would like more information about this program or are interested in becoming a participating business, please contact Susan at 623.3060, or by email. Cary Beasley can be reached by phone at 624.4150 or by email.

Seed capital to launch the program in 2005 was provided by a grant from the Workforce Investment Board. The WIB is involved this year in helping organizing the program link to the Career Center. Financial support for the Chamber now comes through corporate sponsorships. The Presenting Sponsor is General Mills Bakeries and Foodservice. Gold sponsors include: Cardinal Scale, LaBarge, Inc. - Electronics Division, Vatterott College and EaglePicher Technologies, LLC.

Southwest Missouri Highlights from State Workforce Conference

The 2006 Governors Conference on Workforce Development was held October 11-13 in Osage Beach. One of the Super Sessions for the conference profiled the WIB Benchmarking Project. Southwest Missouri was one of our leading edge WIBs in the Show-Me State selected for this research project, which is gaining national attention. WIB member Gary Little and WIB Executive Director Jasen Jones participated as panel speakers for the event.


The recent state workforce conference honored Individual Achievement Award nominees from each of Missouri’s fourteen workforce regions. The award recognizes a Missouri Career Center customer that successfully reaches employment and training goals while overcoming significant obstacles through extreme determination and use of the Center’s resources. The WIB’s One-Stop Workgroup nominated Peter Cowles of the youth program. Peter overcame underemployment, homelessness, and extreme family medical issues and now earns $12-$17/hour (based on output) at La-Z-Boy Manufacturing in Neosho. Peter noted, “They reached out their hands to me when I was in a desperate time of need. All I can say is thank you for all the people who believed in me.”

Joplin Chamber, WIB, & School Project Wins State Award

The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce netted two "Awards of Excellence" from the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Missouri (CCEM). One of the awards in the category of "Outstanding Programs" was presented to the Chamber for the Youth Outreach Workforce Partnership, developed last year by the Chamber in conjunction with the WIB and Joplin High School through a grant program administered by the WIB.

The initiative targets at-risk youth unable to acess adequate skill resources and who are in need of vocational direction to adapt to today's ever-changing job market. Students selected for this program participate in job readiness components such as job applications, resume development, job interview practice, customer service skills, and job retention/survival skills.

Congrats to the Chamber for this and its "Outstanding Website" award for joplincc.com. Chamber officials plan to submit profiles on both the youth program and the website for consideration in a nationwide competition later this year with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives association.

The 2006-2007 youth outreach project is already underway. Youth will tour the Joplin Career and participate in career readiness training October 25th. This year’s project builds upon last year’s WIB grant funds and is now completely funded by sponsorships from Joplin Chamber members.