Photography by Jarrett Medlin
STL.works is a new initiative that focuses connecting to skilled workers in four fields: health care, manufacturing, tech, and the trades, careers with relatively lower barriers to entry.
On Tuesday morning, a host of community leaders gathered at America's Center for the launch of STL.works, an online resource to connect job seekers with quality jobs.
Clad in a bright red jacket, Jennings School District superintendent Art McCoy emceed the event, acknowledging students in red Jennings backpacks. “Education is one of the greatest equalizers, but access to opportunities like this are equality super-sizers,” he said. “There are so many jobs not being filled—and you don’t need a bachelor’s degree to fill them.”
Kathy Osborn, president and CEO of the Regional Business Council, which has helped spearhead the initiative alongside the St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation, noted that there are more than 50,000 people unemployed in the metro region yet 200,000 unfilled jobs. “Our region is at a competitive crossroads,” she said. “We must develop a robust, skilled workforce to keep our outstanding companies here and to attract other businesses to St. Louis.”
The new initiative primarily focuses on four fields: health care, manufacturing, tech, and the trades, careers with relatively lower barriers to entry. “As important as a college degree is, you don’t have to have a college degree to succeed in many of these fields,” noted Osborn. “We have to get the message out to schools, employers, parents, and job seekers.”
This week will include a string of related events, including the release of the State of the Workforce Report from St. Louis Community College on Wednesday and the Urban Expo Career Fair at America’s Center on Thursday.
Scott Wittkop, president and COO of McCarthy Holdings, pointed to a shortage of trained craft labor, noting that the average manufacturer is 50 years old. "As they retire, there aren't enough resources coming to the industry. It's just a lack of understanding." He noted the need to develop a pipeline by educating young people about the tremendous opportunities for such jobs as electricians, plumbers, painters, and landscapers. "You get to look back at the end of every day and say, 'I did that. I built that.'"
“Some people have the misconception that manufacturing is like shop class,” said Vic Richey, chairman, president, and CEO of ESCO Technologies. "It’s not... Our factories are clean, efficient, safe, and we have very sophisticated equipment. Sure you use your hands, but you use your brain more than your hands." He noted that many of the jobs come with excellent pay and benefits.
Likewise, there are under-the-radar opportunities in health care. "Some people think of the most visible careers in health care: doctors and nurses," said Sandra Van Trease, group president of BJC HealthCare. "But there are myriad other jobs in the health care space that are so important and rewarding," listing opportunities in pharmacy, respiratory therapy, human resources, and information technology. "These are careers that do not require a traditional four-year degree." County Executive Dr. Sam Page, an anesthesiologist by trade, seconded the notion.
"In my next career, maybe I’ll go to work for one of these guys because they sound like great places to work," quipped Mayor Lyda Krewson, noting that the city also has hundreds of openings in law enforcement, fire departments, parks, IT, airport, and the water division.
Photography by Laura Miserez
From left to right: Earnestina Fields, a Ranken graduate who's now a drafting technician with Wallace Architects and Jeremy Addison, an East St. Louis native who now works as an associate service desk analyst at World Wide Technology.
Jeremy Addison, an East St. Louis native who now works as an associate service desk analyst at World Wide Technology, noted how he'd found his job after enrolling at age 24 in the NPower program, which helps veterans and young adults ages 18 to 25 from underserved communities to find digital careers."I wish I’d had a resource like STL.works to point me in the right direction," he said, encouraging others to share the resource. "It will change their life."
Before locking down the job, he balanced his internship, another job, and long hours driving from Illinois to Maryland Heights every day with a car teetering on nonfunctioning. It was early mornings and late nights, but for Addison, it was also the first time he could envision having a career he loved instead of just a job to pay the bills. His dream now is to be his own boss at a cybersecurity consulting firm.
Earnestina Fields, a Ranken graduate who's now a drafting technician with Wallace Architects, shared her experience of paying her own way through college. "All of these programs and resources are so important for young people who don’t know what opportunities are available." She hopes to one day get a master's degree, and to be promoted within Wallace Architects.
"When a person receives a purpose in their life," McCoy said, "and has help to make a life plan and a career pathway and learn power skills—because there’s nothing soft about being on-time, well-dressed, well-prepared, well-equipped, and well-paid. That’s not soft, that’s power.
"St. Louis can be and is a lighthouse for real hope and putting real hands to work," he continued. "STL.works proves that. St. Louis’ generosity proves that. Young people are ready, they're hungry, and they're prepared to do amazing things if you give them a chance."
