For Missouri to attract businesses and make up decades of lost ground in economic growth, the state needs a workforce that is attractive to business owners. Unfortunately, two significant trends are working against us: our population is not growing, and the education credentials of our residents are also declining. More and more students are leaving high school unprepared for either college or the workforce. The state’s current approach to this problem prioritizes helping adults acquire postsecondary degrees or certificates that they did not pursue directly after high school. But is this the best way forward? Why not help children get the most out of school while they’re in class rather than trying to fix educational deficiencies later?
This report describes the current Missouri workforce, projects the condition of that workforce in 2040 barring a course correction, and examines potential policy fixes that could get the state’s workforce back on track. Click here to read the full report.
.jpg)
