Local County Workforce Intelligence

Configure for any local workforce area

Source: Missouri WIOA State Plan PY 2024-2027

> REDEPLOYMENT NOTE: This file is the only thing that changes when deploying > this skill to a different Missouri county. Update: > 1. LWDA name and WIOA region assignment > 2. Job Center address and contact > 3. Local employer directory > 4. Local training providers > 5. Any county-specific programs or gaps > Everything else in the skill (WIOA programs, modules, guardrails) stays identical.

> DEFAULT CONFIGURATION: St. Charles County, Missouri

Local County Workforce Intelligence

Configure for any local workforce area — default: St. Charles County

Source: Missouri WIOA State Plan PY2024-2027 + local context

DEPLOYMENT NOTE: Replace county-specific sections below for other Missouri LWDAs

Source: Missouri WIOA State Plan PY2024-2027 + Local context

ST. CHARLES COUNTY LWDA STATUS

St. Charles County is a standalone Local Workforce Development Area (LWDA) — one of only a few Missouri counties that operates as its own LWDA separate from surrounding regions.

• WIOA Region: St. Louis Region (bi-state planning region)
• Includes: City of St. Louis, County of St. Louis, County of St. Charles,

Jefferson/Franklin Consortium, and Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois

• St. Charles County LWDB: Local Workforce Development Board governs services
• IWT data (PY2024): St. Charles County reported 0 Incumbent Worker Training participants

— significant opportunity gap to address with employers

ST. CHARLES COUNTY JOB CENTER

Missouri Job Center — St. Charles County

• Primary WIOA services access point for county residents
• Services: MoJobs registration, career advising, resume help, job matching, WIOA enrollment,

veteran priority services, employer services, workshops

• Technology access: Computers, phones, fax, copiers available to job seekers at no cost
• Always route job seekers here first for official program enrollment

Online access: jobs.mo.gov → "Find a Job Center" → St. Charles County

ST. CHARLES COUNTY ECONOMIC PROFILE

St. Charles County is part of the St. Louis metro area — Missouri's largest labor market.

St. Louis Region (St. Charles + surrounding):

• 1,056,400 workers (35% of all Missouri employment)
• Unemployment rate (2024): 3.5% (below state avg of 3.7%)
• Largest industry by employment: Retail Trade (194,600+ jobs)
• Second largest: Health Care and Social Assistance
• Strong professional services, financial services, manufacturing presence

St. Charles County characteristics:

• Suburban growth corridor — one of Missouri's fastest-growing counties
• Strong manufacturing base (Boeing, major distribution centers)
• Healthcare sector growth (SSM Health, BJC, Mercy adjacent market)
• Major retail corridor (Mid Rivers Mall area)
• Significant white-collar commuter population (St. Louis financial/professional services)

Local high-demand sectors for job matching:

1. Healthcare (CNA, LPN, Medical Assistants — high volume openings)
2. Manufacturing / Distribution / Logistics (high NOW-tier volume)
3. Retail / Customer Service (highest posting count region-wide)
4. Construction and Skilled Trades (shortage — apprenticeship opportunities)
5. Information Technology (NEXT/LATER tier — growth sector)

KEY LOCAL EMPLOYERS TO REFERENCE IN JOB MATCHING

Manufacturing / Distribution:

• Boeing (St. Charles operations)
• Major Amazon fulfillment / distribution centers
• Emerson Electric (regional)
• World Wide Technology (O'Fallon — IT/tech)

Healthcare:

• SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital (Lake Saint Louis / St. Peters)
• Mercy (adjacent market)
• BJC HealthCare (system-wide, accessible from county)
• DaVita Dialysis, dialysis centers
• Home health agencies (high volume CNA/HHA demand)

Retail / Service:

• Mid Rivers Mall area retailers
• Restaurant and hospitality groups
• Major grocery chains

Government / Public Sector:

• City of St. Charles, O'Fallon, St. Peters, Wentzville (municipal)
• St. Charles County government
• Fort Zumwalt / Francis Howell / Wentzville school districts

(paraprofessional, custodial, food service — often entry-level with benefits)

LOCAL TRAINING PROVIDERS (St. Charles County area)

Always verify current program availability at jobs.mo.gov/eligible-training-providers

Community Colleges:

• St. Charles Community College (SCC) — Primary provider; O'Fallon campus
• Healthcare programs (CNA, LPN pathway, Medical Assisting)
• Business, IT, skilled trades
• Participates in Fast Track Scholarship

Career and Technical Education:

• St. Charles County Career Center — CTE programs, industry credentials

Other nearby:

• Lindenwood University (St. Charles) — degree programs
• Missouri Baptist University (adjacent) — healthcare and business degrees
• Columbia College — online (adult learners)

RAPID RESPONSE PROTOCOL (for staff)

Trigger: Any layoff of 25+ workers in St. Charles County.

Missouri Rapid Response Team process:

1. OWD Rapid Response Team notified (Policy 02-2025)
2. On-site or in-person services provided to all workers
3. Meeting includes: DES (UI information), MJC representative (programs), union rep (if applicable)
4. Handouts: Rapid Response brochure, DES UI fact sheet, MERIC Regional Real Time Labor Market Summary
5. Trade Act Navigator notified if trade-related layoff suspected
6. Workers informed of TAA petition filing (without promising certification)
7. Referrals to Job Center initiated immediately

For layoffs of 24 or fewer:

• Informational packets provided at minimum
• On-site services offered if requested

Key contacts:

• TAA information: jobs.mo.gov/trade-adjustment-assistance
• Dislocated Worker program access: nearest Job Center or OWD

Staff action: When a job seeker mentions a recent layoff, always ask:

• Was it a mass layoff (25+)?
• Was the employer in a trade-affected industry?
• How long ago was the layoff?
• Are they currently receiving UI? (If yes, route to RESEA awareness)

SHOW-ME HEROES (Veterans OJT Program)

What it is: Missouri's veteran-specific OJT reimbursement program.

Who qualifies:

• Veterans who have exited the military
• Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) members returning from deployment
• National Guard and Reserve members
• Spouses of veterans AND spouses of active duty military members

Benefits:

• 50% wage reimbursement to employer during OJT agreement period
• Additional financial assistance with classroom and apprenticeship training
• Job Center representatives coordinate directly with employers
• Monthly monitoring and support throughout training period

How to access:

• Identify veteran status at intake (all veterans get priority of service)
• Connect veteran to DVOP/CODL staff at St. Charles Job Center
• DVOP/CODL coordinates Show-Me Heroes OJT with employer

Staff note: Always screen for veteran status at intake — it unlocks Show-Me Heroes, DVOP intensive services, and priority queue placement.

INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING (IWT) — Employer Tool

What it is: Offsets costs of training existing employees to prevent layoffs or enable advancement.

Key features:

• Designed for workers with established history at their company
• Employer must give wage increase upon completion
• Administered by local WDB
• Missouri has requested waiver to expand IWT flexibility (PY2026-2027)

St. Charles County IWT gap: 0 participants in PY2021-2024 — significant opportunity for employer engagement. Staff should proactively pitch IWT to local employers.

How to pitch to employers: "We can help offset the cost of training your existing employees, prevent turnover, and increase their productivity — at no cost to you beyond the wage increase upon completion."

WIOA WAIVERS ACTIVE IN MISSOURI (PY2026-2027)

Waiver 1: Out-of-school youth and in-school youth (ages 16-21) ITAs

• Youth can now receive Individual Training Accounts for post-secondary training
• Expands apprenticeship access for high school age youth

Waiver 2: OJT reimbursement up to 90%

• Normal WIOA cap is 50%; Missouri requested up to 90% for some employers
• Increases employer willingness to hire and train barrier populations

Waiver 3: Incumbent Worker Training expansion

• Allows more IWT opportunities at local WDB discretion

Staff implication: These waivers make OJT and apprenticeship pitches significantly stronger for employer outreach. Lead with the 90% reimbursement potential.

UI CLAIMANT FAST-TRACK PROTOCOL

When a job seeker mentions they are currently receiving Unemployment Insurance (UI):

1. Confirm MoJobs registration — UI claimants are auto-registered but may not have engaged
2. RESEA awareness — Selected claimants receive mandatory Reemployment Services and

Eligibility Assessment appointment; participation at Job Center counts toward work search

1. Coursera access — All UI claimants receive free Coursera license (6,000+ courses);

prompt them to use it for skill-building while searching

1. Work search rules — Job Center participation counts toward weekly work search requirement
2. Reemployment Advantage Program — RESEA-selected claimants get curated course set
3. Urgency: UI benefits have a finite duration — treat as medium-high urgency regardless

of what the user indicates

Staff note: UI claimants who engage with Job Center services have better re-employment outcomes. Every UI claimant is a warm lead for WIOA co-enrollment.