Missouri Training + Credential Pathways

Access to Jobs — Module 9

Source: Missouri WIOA Combined State Plan, PY 2024–2027

STACKABLE CREDENTIAL PATHWAYS

DECISION LOGIC

1. Identify the target role and its Missouri tier (NOW / NEXT / LATER)
2. Identify skill and education gaps
3. Match to shortest credentialing pathway that employers recognize
4. Identify which funding sources the user qualifies for
5. Include timeline estimate

Guiding principle from Missouri WIOA Plan: "Multiple entry and exit points. Customers can access additional education, training, and skills until they reach a self-sufficient career."

PATHWAY BY JOB TIER

NOW Jobs (short-term — weeks to months)

• WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) — available at Job Centers
• Industry certifications: Forklift, OSHA 10, ServSafe, CPR/First Aid, Phlebotomy
• Short-term workforce training through SkillUP or WIOA
• Pre-employment training through employer OJT agreements
• No diploma required for most NOW occupations

NEXT Jobs (medium-term — 3 months to 2 years)

• Community college certificates (1 semester–1 year)
• Registered Apprenticeship (earn while learning — 1–4 years)
• Technical school credentials: CNA, LPN, HVAC, Electrical, Welding, IT CompTIA
• Integrated Education and Training (IET): AEL + job training simultaneously
• Workforce Diploma (aligned to high-demand careers, employer-recognized Tier 1)

LATER Jobs (longer-term — 2–4+ years)

• Associate's degree (community college, 2 years)
• Bachelor's degree (4-year college/university)
• Graduate/professional degree
• Note: Missouri lags national average in associate's, bachelor's, and graduate degree attainment

— increasing credential access is a stated WIOA state plan priority

FUNDING SOURCES — DETAILED

Fast Track Scholarship

• Administered by: Missouri Dept. of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD)
• Who qualifies: Most adult Missourians (broad eligibility)
• Covers: Tuition at Missouri community colleges, technical schools, colleges, universities
• Target: High-demand fields (Healthcare, IT, Construction, Manufacturing, etc.)
• Apply: dhe.mo.gov/fasttrack

WIOA Individual Training Account (ITA)

• Who: WIOA-eligible adults or dislocated workers
• What: Funding for Eligible Training Provider (ETP) list programs
• How: Administered through local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) via Job Centers
• Note: Consumer Report Cards available for each ETP — ask at Job Center

SkillUP (SNAP Employment & Training)

• Who: SNAP (food stamp) recipients, able-bodied adults
• What: Short-term industry-aligned training leading to employment
• Partners: Missouri Community Action Network, Community College Association, OWD
• Access: DSS offices; opt-in text messages to SNAP households

Credential Training Fund

• Who: Employers (funding passes through to workers)
• What: Reimbursement up to $2,000/person; $30,000 max per company per state fiscal year
• For: Industry-recognized credentials
• Route: Employer must apply; worker benefits indirectly

Missouri One Start

• Who: Businesses expanding or relocating to Missouri; their employees
• What: Customized training programs; pre-employment screening and recruitment
• Partners: Community colleges and local education agencies
• Note: Free to the employer; great for workers at participating companies

Registered Apprenticeship

• What: Earn wages + structured on-the-job training + related instruction = industry credential
• Administered: Missouri Office of Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning (MAT team)
• Available in: Construction, Manufacturing, IT, Healthcare, Early Childhood Education
• Duration: 1–5 years depending on trade
• Note: Intern and Apprentice Tax Credit (IATC) — employers get $1,500 tax credit per apprentice; increases likelihood employers will hire

HEALS Initiative (Health Education Accelerated Learning & Skills)

• Who: Individuals pursuing healthcare occupations
• Administered by: DHEWD
• What: Aligns training with industry needs; supports accelerated healthcare training models
• Best for: CNA, LPN, Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, and allied health pathways

Vocational Rehabilitation (MVR / RSB)

• Who: Individuals with documented disabilities
• What: Full training funding, vocational counseling, job placement, OJT, supported employment
• Process: Apply → assessment → Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)
• SSDI/SSI: Benefits counseling available to understand work incentives

On-the-Job Training (OJT)

• What: Employer hired participant; WIOA reimburses up to 50% of wage during training period
• Available through: Job Centers / WDBs
• Best for: Users who learn by doing; employers who want to train to their standards

Customized Training

• What: Training designed to meet employer specifications; employer pays at least 50% of cost
• Administered through: Local WDBs

SPECIAL POPULATIONS — TRAINING NOTES

Justice-Involved

• DOC vocational programs count as credentials — list on resume
• 967 DOC vocational completions in FY2024
• 1,003 enrolled in postsecondary via CTE/community college partnerships from inside facilities
• DOC has college partnerships with 8 Missouri colleges and universities
• Post-release: OWD staff inside facilities begin job search before release; Job Center staff continues

Youth (14–24)

• Subsidized employment available through TANF for youth ages 14–24 at ≤185% poverty level
• JAG (Jobs for America's Graduates) — school-based career development
• Excel Center — accredited, tuition-free high school for adults 21+; includes college credits and industry certifications; free drop-in childcare
• Futures Program — employment + education services for foster care youth 16–23

Veterans

• GI Bill benefits stack with some WIOA services — check with Job Center
• Priority of service for all WIOA programs; DVOP/CODL provide intensive case management
• Registered apprenticeship programs increasingly military-skill aligned

English Language Learners

• IET (Integrated Education and Training) model: English literacy + occupational training concurrently
• AEL programs required to expose all students to Job Center services at orientation
• LACES tracking system for AEL co-enrollment

STACKABLE CREDENTIALS — RECOMMENDED PROGRESSIONS

Healthcare pathway (NOW → NEXT → LATER): CPR/First Aid → CNA → LPN → RN (with Fast Track or HEALS)

IT pathway: CompTIA IT Fundamentals → CompTIA A+ → Network+ or Security+ → Associate degree → Cloud certs

Construction / Skilled Trades: OSHA 10 → Pre-apprenticeship → Registered Apprenticeship (Electrician / Plumber / HVAC) → Journeyman

Manufacturing: WorkKeys NCRC → Forklift cert → Industrial Maintenance cert → CNC Machinist (CAD) → MSSC CPT

Early Childhood Education: Child Development Associate (CDA) → Associate degree → Bachelor's in Education (25 registered apprenticeship programs in MO support this pathway)

KEY INSTITUTIONS

• Missouri community colleges — Primary fast-track training providers
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers — Regional; partnerships with DOC and high schools
• Excel Center — 4 locations statewide; adults 21+; free; includes childcare
• Graduation Alliance — Online; accredited Tier 1 high school diploma + workforce credentials
• MOLearns — Virtual AEL platform (statewide online adult basic education)

HOW TO ACCESS TRAINING

1. Go to a Missouri Job Center (jobs.mo.gov → Find a Job Center)
2. Register in MoJobs system
3. Meet with a career advisor — they will screen for program eligibility
4. Request referral to appropriate funding stream (ITA, SkillUP, VR, etc.)
5. Choose an Eligible Training Provider from the state-approved list
6. Begin training; maintain contact with Job Center for supportive services