Episode Six: Final Speed Round

With Commissioner Mulligan

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The final episode of MoTalent is a speed round highlighting 10 key takeaways as we wrap up this series.

You’ll hear from Commissioner of Higher Education Zora Mulligan and Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon in addition to 10 voices as we take a final look at developing Talent for Tomorrow to make Missouri the Best in the Midwest.
 
Helping Job Centers make a difference
Lisa Marshall, a Missouri Job Center Supervisor from Warrenton and Columbia, shared three things that could really make a difference for Job Centers across Missouri.

1. Career exploration needs to start at a younger age.
2. Job seekers and employers need to know that we have Missouri Job Centers.
3. We need an avenue to advertise more effectively.

 
Providing resources to high school teachers and counselors
Nathan Fleming, West Plains High School Teacher and Project Lead the Way Instructor, suggested that we develop a set of frequently asked questions on career advisement that schools could easily access and share.
 
Hearing from national leaders
From a national perspective, we heard more about the need to find ways for educators and employers to connect to ensure that higher education can better meet workforce needs.

Martin Van Der Werf, Associate Director of Editorial and Postsecondary Policy at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce in Pennsylvania, suggested finding more ways for employers to provide constant input into curriculum development.

Next, we talked to Jimmy Hazel, a Board of Visitors member with George Mason University in Virginia, about the work being done in Virginia to meet their goal to be the best in the nation. There are some great examples that could be implemented across the nation.
 
Listening to economic developers
So how do we encourage higher education and employers to align their efforts? How do we achieve big goals?

Economic developers from regions across the state emphasized the need for mobile training that is flexible and able to meet the changing needs of each region.

John Mehner, President & CEO of Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that not every job requires a four-year degree and that more information is needed to help people explore all of their options.

Josh McKim, Executive Director at Nodaway County Economic Development, spoke about the critical needs prevalent in rural Missouri.

Tim Cowden, President & CEO – Kansas City Area Development Council, emphasized that our efforts need to be scaled up to meet the levels needed by employers of varying sizes.
 
Growing apprenticeship and internship programs
John Gaal, Director of Training & Workforce Development with the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council, spoke about opportunities to introduce apprenticeships at the high school level with a few specific successful examples in the St. Louis area.

Nick Rackers, Commercial Turf & Grounds Management Instructor from State Technical College of Missouri, encouraged students and employers to think bigger about internships – just because a job isn’t called an internship doesn’t mean it doesn’t count.
 
History repeating itself
Gary Kremer, Executive Director of the State Historical Society of Missouri, spoke about how a generation was shaped through the GI Bill and that something like that can create opportunities for people who never even dreamed of going to college.  Some say the Internet and the advent of online programs could have a similar impact on increasing access to postsecondary education.
 
So, where do we go from here?
In Episode Five, Commissioner Mulligan and Director Dixon spoke about the recommendations that have come out of the Talent for Tomorrow and Best in Midwest initiatives. Several of those recommendations include the major themes discussed in this episode and will shape the efforts going forward.

• We need to start early with information about careers and apprenticeships.
• We need to develop quality short-term training that is flexible and mobile.
• We need to build and expand partnerships between employers and educators.
• We need programs that help grow the workforce for small businesses and large corporations.