Dear Parents, Guardians & Students,
Legislation passed during the 2018 session that requires the Department of Economic Development (DED) to annually identify occupations in which a critical need or shortage of trained personnel exists in the labor market in the state and provide such information to the State Board of Education.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education school counseling staff has compiled and placed information related to labor shortages and job attainment on their website. This information will update regularly. The links can be found at:
https://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/school-counseling/legislation
https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/high-demand-occupations
https://meric.mo.gov/regional-profiles
https://meric.mo.gov/regional-profiles/central
https://meric.mo.gov/regional-profiles/west-central
Missouri Connections (https://portal.missouriconnections.org/) is also a fantastic site for students/parents to utilize when researching the types of skills and occupations most in demand in the current job market. Many tools are available on the website, including interest inventories, college and scholarship search tools. Missouri Connections also provides resources related to creating a resume, interviewing, and networking.
Please stop by and visit me if you have any questions regarding the current legislation.
Sincerely,
Erika Derboven
Higbee School District