Governor Mike Parson announced the “Show-Me Strong Recovery Plan” in April, signaling the start of a gradual economic reopening that will involve agencies across state government. The recovery rests on the core pillars of testing, PPE, health care system capacity and improving the state’s ability to monitor and predict outbreaks.
A news release says since COVID-19 first emerged in Missouri, the Department of Economic Development worked tirelessly to establish new supply chains and aid in the healthcare response to the pandemic. The Department also has assisted in connecting businesses across the state with assistance as the impacts of the pandemic rippled through the state’s economy.
With the Governor’s announcement of the “Show-Me Strong Recovery” effort, the Department has begun to shift its focus to longterm recovery planning, and will work alongside other state and federal agencies and private-sector partners to develop recommendations for how state and federal resources can best be directed to assisting Missouri communities, businesses and citizens.
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PIVOTS TO RECOVERY
The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) is pivoting from helping with unemployment claims to working with Missourians to skill up and get back to work. Job Center staff will return to helping Missourians find meaningful employment, refresh their resumes, find training opportunities and understand available benefits.
Staff also will recruit for contact tracing, and other employment opportunities directly supporting Missouri’s COVID-19 response. As part of the department’s “Return Strong” recovery efforts, MDHEWD will highlight short-term training opportunities offered through Missouri’s higher-education institutions.