Rooted in steamboat traffic along the mighty Mississippi River, Missouri employment took off from the waterways celebrated by Mark Twain, and now carry on in railroads and trucks feeding a nation. A new wave of employment growth in education, healthcare, financial services and government is replacing declines in manufacturing of all types.
Missouri Employment Opportunities
Missouri’s central geographic position and two fully navigable rivers put the state in an ideal location for transportation of manufactured goods. Famous as a center of the cattle industry and “Kansas City Steaks,” commodity trading at the Kansas City Board of Trade, and over 200 other food manufacturing and food processing facilities, Missouri’s connection to the nation’s food industry runs deep. The nationwide decline in manufacturing-related work also impacted Missouri employment. Statewide employment in manufacturing declined over 11% from May 2008 to May 2009 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2009). But continued strength in transportation, job growth in mining and logging, and in higher paying jobs with greater educational requirements has kept the overall Missouri employment situation close to the nation’s. Opportunities in healthcare have mirrored the national trend, increasing steadily in recent years. Missouri’s unemployment rate of 9% in May of 2009 was slightly lower than the overall national rate of 9.4%.
Mississippi River traffic once was central to Missouri’s economic life and development, and though it continues to be a contributor as a national transportation hub, source of barge and warehousing revenue, transportation plays a smaller role in Missouri employment. Combined with trade and utilities, transportation employment in Missouri currently stands at approximately
20%.
Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) studied job vacancy rates in 2008 and found the strongest demand for workers was in the two largest metropolitan areas of Kansas City and St. Louis. Those geographic areas, and the state as a whole witnessed year-over-year increases in government, education and healthcare employment even in the face of overall employment declines (Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2009).
The fastest current and future growth in Missouri employment is driving toward a more educated workforce. The industrial infrastructure of manufacturing will likely see fewer jobs for unskilled labor, but continue to need managers, skilled technicians and have a growing demand for educators. MERIC data looking at the most recent growth, jobs in financial services, education and healthcare have been the brightest spots. MERIC predicts that by 2012 the majority of Missouri employment will require an Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree.
Missouri Employment Resources
Missouri’s Department of Economic Development’s Division of Workforce Development is the state’s central resource for job seekers and businesses interested in Missouri employment (http://ded.mo.gov/wfd/index.html ). Through this division, potential employees can link to Missouri Career Source.com, register and view job listings that match their talents and interests (https://www.missouricareersource.com/mcs/mcs/default.seek). The Missouri Career Source maintains a calendar of job fairs and training programs as well as physical career center locations throughout the state (map with links https://worksmart.ded.mo.gov/documents/view_one.cfm?ID=1618&menuID=6. )
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers information about Missouri employment in those levels of education at Success link http://www.successlink.org/jobs/. Information about Missouri employment in higher education is available through Missouri’s Department of Higher Education at http://www.dhe.mo.gov/employment.shtml.
Missouri employment for healthcare professionals seeking information can consult the National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network at http://www.3rnet.org/locations/?state=Missouri
The state of Missouri’s governmental website offers listings of employment opportunities with the state at http://www.mo.gov/mo/stjobs.htm. Two of the top ten employers in the state are the municipal governments of Kansas City (http://www.kcmo.org/hr.nsf/web/jobs?opendocument) and St. Louis (http://stlcin.missouri.org/OnlineJob/jobs.cfm ).
Missouri Living Conditions
Missourians carry a rich history, their mild climate and low cost of living makes Missouri employment an excellent value. Their connection to the mighty Mississippi River fostered famous tales from perhaps their greatest son, Mark Twain. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) put the state as the sixth most affordable state in the union. This low cost of living did not translate to a low quality of living however. St. Louis was ranked fourth by Forbes magazine ranked on its list of “Most affordable places to live well” (Forbes, November 2007).
Missourians enjoy a mild climate with annual average temperatures in the mid 50’s F. This moderate weather and a stable housing stock have kept housing costs down. In July of 2008 Forbes ranked St. Louis third in their list of best cities to buy a home. But this data does not apply only to the St. Louis area, indexed to the nation (=100), first quarter 2009 housing costs in the state measure 79.0 according to MERIC.
Residents of Missouri earn slightly more than the national median income, and generally get to keep a greater share of that income. Overall, Missouri employment is a good bargain. U.S. Census Bureau data from 2007 show a median household income of $45,114 compared with the less favorable national income of $41,994. The mix of sales (4.225%), income (max. 6%), and excise taxes are relatively light. In comparison to income-tax free Texas, Missouri’s lower sales, gas, and excise taxes translates to higher discretionary income for working class residents.
Missouri Employment
Missouri’s employment situation largely parallels the nation’s — declining demand for manufacturing labor, and increasing demand for employees with higher educational achievement. Unlike most of the nation, Missourians lower cost of living, especially lower housing costs and tax burden have spared the state from rampant foreclosures or state government fiscal crisis. Higher incomes, greater discretionary pay, and low student-teacher ratios in public schools make Missouri employment an excellent value for workers as well as employers.
