It has been five years since the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry released Workforce 2030, a report outlining the challenges facing employers and recommendations the state should take to narrow the gap between open jobs and workers needed to fill them.
Karen Buschmann, vice president of marketing and communications for the Missouri Chamber, spoke to the House Workforce and Infrastructure Development Committee about the strides Missouri has made in addressing the recommendations of the report and the work still left to do.
“Workforce still is the No. 1 challenge facing our businesses according to a recent poll of Missouri CEOs,” Buschmann said. “One in three employers cite workforce shortages as the main obstacle facing their businesses.”
When asked about the roles automation and artificial intelligence might have in addressing the workforce needs of the future, Buschmann said, “In order to adapt to the workforce shortage, we need to embrace technology. I think that opens up additional opportunities for our workers to get better quality jobs working with that technology – jobs that will pay more.”
Buschmann also highlighted the Missouri Chamber’s work to increase apprenticeship opportunities. One of those is the free web portal, Missouri Apprentice Connect, which helps promote the apprenticeship model in Missouri and builds a bridge between employers and potential apprentices. She also talked about the Missouri Chamber’s Industry-Driven IT Apprenticeship Program, where the Missouri Chamber Foundation provides support to IT companies that are creating or expanding registered apprenticeship programs.
“We believe that the best way to learn about work is to work, and this program is proving that theory right. More than 95 percent of the people we have trained have a full-time job immediately at the conclusion of their apprenticeship,” Buschmann said. “They’re earning a paycheck on day one of their apprenticeship.”
The program is also helping increase opportunities for underserved communities.
“Of the 3,000 apprentices trained, 40 percent of the participants are women,” Buschmann said. “The program has served more than 1,000 people of color, and 150 people with disabilities have received apprenticeship training and are now holding jobs.”
Committee Chair Rep. Louis Riggs (R-Hannibal) was complimentary of the work that the Missouri Chamber has done to advance workforce issues.
“I’ve been impressed over the years with the amount of brain power the Missouri Chamber has put into these types of programs for all different areas of commerce and industry,” said Riggs. “I want to say thank you for basically setting the table for a lot of things that are very positive for us as a state.”
