Business Representative:

The Business Representative works closely with businesses in the community to increase awareness of Workforce Development services in a sixteen-county area including Warren, Montgomery, Lincoln, Pike, Ralls, Monroe, Randolph, Macon, Shelby, Marion, Lewis, Knox, Adair, Clark, Scotland, and Schuyler Counties. 
The Business Representative assists the Division of Workforce Development with determining the needs of Northeast Missouri Region’s businesses, conducts outreach regarding Career Center programs and services, and works to further enhance the State’s responsiveness to the employment and training needs of businesses.

Available services include:

• Interview rooms and testing space available
• Access to labor market information
• Tax credit information
• Training assistance
• Job Fair partnering
• Layoff and closure assistance
• Access to low cost business seminars

Areas of specific assistance include:

Business Outreach

• Meet with businesses/organizations to promote the Workforce Development system
• Work to obtain job orders and increase market penetration rate
• Assist in disseminating outreach/marketing materials including information from Career Center partners

Customer Service

• Ensure business satisfaction with the Workforce Development system services by conducting follow-up services with businesses and partners
• Assist external customers by ensuring business customer satisfaction

Partnership

• Work with partner staff to support their efforts to engage businesses
• Assist with leading and directing workforce system business outreach for the purpose of coordinating and streamlining business contacts among partner agencies
• Educate partners about effectiveness in Great Hires/Toolbox/job orders
• Coordinate and conduct regional coordination meetings
• Attend WIB, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, Community and human resources organizations, industrial development, and Regional Planning Commission meetings to promote and explain the use of workforce development services

Business Resource

• Research, evaluate, and make presentations to businesses about Workforce Development and Economic Development programs
• Stay informed of current resources and trends by developing and maintaining positive relationships with key individuals to assist with the delivery of value-added services
• Free use of the Missouri Career Center Business Resource Room, a designated area just for businesses to use for their interviewing, recruiting, testing, etc.  Call the career center at 660-263-5850 to schedule this area. 

For further information, contact the Northeast Region Business Representative at darla.dwiggins@ded.mo.gov.

Missouri Employer Committee (MEC):
A network of employers interested in HR-related issues.  There is one State Steering Committee and 32 local committees that are located across the State of Missouri, involving nearly 5000 employers statewide.
This committee has functioned more than 30 years.  It was initially established to create a communication link between state government and the local business community.
If you are interested in becoming a member of MEC or would like more information, please contact mec@ded.mo.gov or steve.moore@ded.mo.gov.  There is no charge for membership with this committee.

The Employment Services Team is available to partner with businesses to provide services such as:

• Placing job orders on Greathires.org
  
• Pre-screening applications
• Referring qualified applications to businesses for current and anticipated employment needs
• Scheduling interview space at Missouri Career Center
• Actively searching for qualified applicants for job orders or hiring events
• Labor Market Information and resources
• Planning and attending hiring events
• Employment solutions

Assistive Technology Center - The Missouri Career Center offers an Assistive Technology Center consisting of Window Eyes, Zoom Text, Large Keyboard and Monitor, Smart View, Adjustable Height Workstation and TTY.

On-The-Job Training

Hire a Dislocated Worker:
A Dislocated Worker is an individual who has been laid off from a job because the business closed, downsized, experienced a disaster or moved overseas. These workers have the work ethic and long-term work experience that enables them to productively contribute to the profit line of any business.
If you hire a Dislocated Worker, the Missouri Career Center may assist you by reimbursing up to fifty percent (50%) of that employee's wage while you are training them.
For more information about how you can participate in this training opportunity, contact the provider at the Missouri Career Center at gammbp@socket.net

Hire a Veteran:
Businesses that are willing to hire eligible military veterans may qualify to participate in the Veteran's OJT Program. Approved OJT programs must be at least six months and up to two years in length. Some examples are:  welder, painter, cook, equipment mechanic, auto mechanic, corrections officer, police officer and parts buyer.
For more information about hiring a Veteran contact a Veteran's Representative at the Missouri Career Center.