The Joplin Tri-State Business Journal highlighted projections 2010’s regional economy across in a special section published this week.  JTSB recruited Jasen Jones from the WIB to provide the analysis as part of an elite group of regional economic leaders.  Additional contributors include Rob O’Brian, Chuck Surface, Blake Benson, Josh Rinkenbaugh, Lane Clevenger, and David Glenn. [...]

The national journal titled Workforce Solutions profiled the successful integration of workforce development and economic development.  The January/February edition of the journal includes the article from Sharon Sewell-Fairman and Robyn Domber of the Waddely-Donovan Group.

Download the Workforce Solutions journal (PDF)
Check out a similar feature from the International Economic Development Council

Gov. Jeremiah (Jay) Nixon honored the successful efforts of Missouri’s Next Generations Jobs Team that employed and expanded the skills of thousands of youth across Missouri’s fourteen local Workforce Investment Board regions.  In special ceremonies held at the Governors Mansion recently, Gov. Nixon recognized Eagle-Picher Industries for their leading edge work in alternative energy.

Pictured in [...]

For more than half a century, Pittsburg State University has played host to the largest regional technology conference of its kind, showcasing the latest in technology and technology education. That tradition continues as students and faculty members from five universities and numerous junior high and high schools visited the Kansas Technology Center for a [...]

While the nation as a whole sees an increase in unemployment, the Joplin metro area is below that national average and is actually falling.  That’s the lead in a feature airing Friday evening on KOAM-TV7 news.   KOAM interviewed WIB exec Jasen Jones as well as local industry leaders on positive economic indicators for the [...]

KOAM-TV News featured a success story this week of summer youth interns moving on to long-term employment in Neosho.  The internships were funded through Missouri’s Next Generation Jobs Team.   The online video includes comments from Kris Baldwin, the WIB’s Emerging Workforce Coordinator.

Jobs for Missouri’s Graduates (JMG), a school-to-work program onsite at high schools in Joplin and East Newton, as well as thirteen other sites in Missouri, netted a national National Workforce Development Leadership Award from the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), a national youth career preparation program.

The JoMo Regional HR/Payroll conference held today in Joplin contained a breakout session on economic recovery and transformation.  The conference is a joint effort of the Tri-States Human Resources Association (local SHRM chapter) and the Joplin Payroll Association (local APA chapter).
WIB executive director Jasen Jones gave a 50-minute overview of local trends, resources, and opportunities [...]

A national report from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET) showcases the Southwest Missouri WIB’s recent efforts to use O*NET resources to attract new jobs and investment to the region.  

A Joplin business attraction, expansion and development initiative that kicked off this week is aiming to create 4,000 direct jobs and 2,596 indirect jobs in the area over the next five years. The Joplin Regional Prosperity Initiative (JRPI) is strategically-aligned with several of the WIB’s workforce and regional transformation initiatives.

More than 70% of the JRPI’s fundraising [...]