Governor Signs Bill to Increase Job Training, Establish Adult High Schools in Missouri
Take a survey of what factors business owners weigh most heavily when deciding where to locate or expand their operations, and chances are a well-trained, highly qualified workforce will be at or near the top of their lists. This session, lawmakers passed a measure that will help transform Missouri into a state job creators can confidently decide to call home because they’ll know we have the highly skilled workforce they need to succeed.
Signed by the governor in July, House Bill 93 contains two sections, the first of which deals with job training. Under this act, Missouri will gradually move to a system whereby the state is able to provide up-front funding for Missouri Works Training projects with appropriations from the general revenue fund, rather than through withholding tax. This will make it easier for Missouri to more easily invest in our workers and grow a larger, more highly trained workforce that will attract new jobs and economic development.
House Bill 93 also seeks to establish four adult high schools in the Show-Me State, finally giving adults who never graduated a viable path to receive a true high school diploma, and nothing less. The measure directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to issue a bid to a Missouri-based nonprofit organization to operate the high schools, which will be located throughout the state.
This provision will ultimately open new doors for adults who long to improve their lives but feel stuck because they never received their diploma. Additionally, it’ll further help address Missouri’s shortage of skilled, trained workers by requiring each adult high school to offer an industry certification program in collaboration with public higher education institutions, based on regional workforce needs. The changes in this bill take effect August 28th.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is (573) 751-1415, my email is dan.hegeman@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 332, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.