Work Force Development


Missouri lawmakers propose delay in minimum wage hike

Missouri's minimum wage is on track to reach $12 by 2023, but a bill would push it back to 2026. The delay of the gradual increase is a proposal from Rep. Cody Smith of Carthage. Rep. Smith addressed fellow lawmakers… more

Kansas small businesses receive $57M in grants

Roughly $57 million in aid has reached around 3,000 small businesses in Kansas in Small Business Working Capital (SBWC) grants. Funding for the grants was drawn out from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), which sent monetary aid to businesses… more

KC area shows total nonfarm job loss of 46,500 in one year

The Kansas City metropolitan area is down more than 46,000 jobs in one year, according to a recent report from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. Kansas City counted 1.06 million nonfarm jobs in February, off from 1.11 million… more

New order establishes Kansas workforce improvement council

On Monday, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed Executive Order 21-08, establishing the Advantage Kansas Coordinating Council (AKCC). The council was created to improve Kansas’s workforce and is comprised of education and business leaders across the state. The AKCC will align… more

Local, statewide job centers make full reopening in Mo.

Beginning Monday, March 15, most Missouri Job Centers are making the transition from appointment-only visits to a full re-opening, with walk-ins welcome. The new policy only applies to Job Centers that meet three main criteria for re-opening. Centers must be… more

Missouri workforce shows pattern of growth in new year though 2020 labor losses linger

Missouri's nonfarm workforce grew in January while the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by a 10th of a percentage point, according to information released last week by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). The MERIC data cited… more

KC area sees large return of jobs through U.S. immigration agency

A federal office will bring back 500 jobs in the Kansas City area months after a massive layoff. The The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will restore 500 jobs for operations centers in Lee’s Summit and Overland Park. USCIS laid… more

Jobless claims tick up, remain below Dow Jones estimate

In the week ending February 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 745,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 6,000 from 730,000 to 736,000. The… more

Staffing sector projected to grow 12 percent in 2021

The staffing sector is projected to make a strong turnaround in 2021, according to a report from Bridgepoint. As COVID-19 vaccine distribution continues, its rollout is expected to help stabilize regulation and work security for various industries across the U.S.… more

Partnership delivers educational opportunities to area workforce

A new partnership in the Kansas City metro is delivering higher education opportunities to hundreds of local business men and women in the area workforce. Columbia College and the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce have launched an innovative partnership designed… more