Local organizations collaborate on workforce issues

By Jacki Wood

Several organizations in the area working to address a common problem – workforce issues.

The Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce, Nodaway County Economic Development, Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation, Northwest Health Services, Northwest Regional Council of Governments, Northwest Missouri State University Career Services and Northwest Technical School have formed a partnership to address these concerns together.

“Every community is dealing with a shortage of workers right now, and it’s going to take creativity and working together in ways we haven’t before to address these issues,” Chamber Executive Director Amy Gessert said. “With an issue as large as the workforce crisis, it’s going to take collaboration to tackle. I believe our community is ready to work together to find some real solutions.”

All of the organizations have workforce initiatives and resources to help, and the Chamber has created a guide outlining highlights of the work the partnership is doing, things that are coming up and steps to take as a business to work together toward solutions.

The guide, “Workforce Solutions: Employers and Organizations Working Together,” includes four main components:

1. Grow Your Own.

2. Attract and Develop Workers.

3. Connect With Them.

4. Nurture and Retain.

Grow Your Own. Developing a workforce that starts with the students here at home.

We want you: We’re working on recruiting letters, targeted to high school juniors and seniors, to help them see what Maryville has to offer.

Let’s talk: We’re presenting to incoming Northwest freshmen about the community and job opportunities.

We‘re listening: We have a focus group and we’re asking questions about shopping habits, work habits, etc. to try to see how we can better leverage that population and hopefully keep them here.

Add some polish: Career Services and the Job Center offers trainings and services such as resume reviews, interview prep, networking, dining etiquette, etc.

What can employers do? Explore offering apprenticeships and internships to build incoming talent. Attend transition fairs at schools. Connect with tech school faculty and guidance counselors.

Attract and Develop Workers. Attract quality workforce additions from outside of our community.

Bring them back campaign: We’ve launched a marketing campaign that will focus on attracting residents, entrepreneurs and remote workers to Nodaway County.

Housing: We’re working with community partners to help solve housing issues in our area.

Childcare: We’re actively working with community partners to help solve the daycare shortage.

Asking the questions: The Missouri Job Center partners are working on unmet needs surveys for employers and job seekers in the 18-county region. These will gauge knowledge of the Job Center system services and partners as well as how we can help them with recruitment and retention of employees.

What can employers do? Revisit your benefits packages – are your benefits relevant and competitive? Get social – get in front of your potential employees with a campaign that highlights why people like to work for you. Share your ideas with us – how can we work together to solve housing issues? Support your community – a vibrant community that’s welcoming helps attract staff, their spouses and families.

Connect With Them.

Let’s link up: We talk with local groups to address questions and concerns about how to connect with college-aged people.

Making matches: We work with local employers to source for hiring roles in positions that may be filled with Northwest grads.

Interns and hires: We are focused on providing local employers with internship opportunities as well as connecting them with current college students.

Job fairs: Coming up, there is a Job Fair in Gentry County in May and a Grow Chili Job Fair for June 23 in Chillicothe. We also have models for a Drive-through Job Fair and Reverse Job Fairs.

Post away: We moderate Nodaway County employment opportunities on Facebook.

What can employers do? Connect to your community partners to find your seekers. Share your ideas with us.

Nurture and Retain.

We can help: Retention is the name of the game right now. If you’re ready to prioritize this, we can help with resources.

Focus on retention: Empowering Employers Seminar by NWRCOG – the Job Center planning partners for this event are working on a plan to host these quarterly and move them around the 18-county region. The next will be planned for the Chillicothe and Trenton area and anticipate one in the Maryville area in late summer.

Reach out: Your local Job Center can help with retention and recruitment. Let your community partners know what we can do to help.

The partnership continues to work toward solutions and is looking for more ideas. If you want to be part of the conversation, contact Gessert at director@maryvillechamber.com.