Starting Monday, May 18, 2020, the Missouri Department of Health and Education and Workforce Development Office of Workforce Development is shifting focus to help Missourians skill up and get back to work. Members of the department have been assisting the Department of Labor with unemployment insurance claims for the past eight weeks. As part of Governor Mike Parson’s “Show Me Strong” recovery plan, the staff will pivot to recovery efforts for citizens and businesses.
Job center staff will be available to help Missourians find meaningful employment, refresh their resumes, find training opportunities, and understand available benefits. Staff will also recruit for contact tracing, and other employment opportunities directly supporting Missouri COVID-19 response. As part of the Department’s Return Strong Recovery efforts, MDHEWD will highlight short-term training opportunities offered through the State Higher Education institutions.
The second piece of the Department’s Return Strong effort is to develop a plan to safely and responsibly reopen Missouri public workforce system. The department is working in conjunction with the Regional Workforce Development Board, the Office of Administration, and local health departments to determine a regional approach to reopening the centers.
The Office of Workforce Development wants to prepare Missourians for the day their unemployment benefits may expire. There are federal funds available to provide short-term training for many of these job seekers.
The department has been able to assist customers online and via phone.
Visit www.jobs.mo.gov/return-strong or call your local Missouri Job Center to learn more about job opportunities and COVID-19 recovery efforts for job seekers and employers.