Boone County government, school leaders look for ways to serve growing workforce

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Providing services such as childcare for a growing workforce is one of the major challenges Boone County leaders took on during a joint meeting Friday among the City of Columbia, Boone County government, Columbia Public Schools, Columbia Chamber of Commerce and the University of Missouri.

The purpose of the group, which calls itself the CCCCU, is to provide open communication, discuss items of joint interest and determine areas of collaboration. 

"We all have to be working together," said Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick. "We have to be communicating. And so it's meetings like these make sure that we're like, 'Oh yeah, I forgot that was happening. Where's that at in the process?' And so it's just, it forces that communication collaboration. And then the meetings that happen as a result of these meetings, that really is where the the work begins."

The University opened up the meeting by discussing its own mission, vision and structure. The Chamber of Commerce provided an update on Interstate 70 improvements and workforce development.

Boone County government officials talked about multiple items such as the county budget, public safety childcare center and the county's master plan and housing study update. Mayor Barbara Buffaloe represented the City of Columbia and discussed the housing and transit study. The meeting ended with Columbia Public Schools speaking on its vision for the future and a recap of the previous school year's statistics.

Although each organization had its range of topics, finding ways to help the workforce was a common denominator.

Kendrick, who represented Boone County, mentioned the Childcare Center on its Public Safety campus that is currently being built. Kendrick said childcare access and affordability is an issue in Boone County, especially for public safety personnel. Boone County government's goal is to create a childcare center for employees who work in public safety, such as first responders.

"We think that it will be a good, recruitment and retention tool as well. We believe that it's a barrier to entry into workforce," Kendrick said. "We believe it's a barrier to retaining a qualified workforce as well."

Buffaloe discussed staff recruitment and retention in a transit study by the City of Columbia. "When we talk about staff recruitment and retention, one of the big things that we know we need to do is also just train people into this as a profession to get into connecting people with this and getting us more drivers," said Buffaloe. She said the city needs 185 more transit workers to meet its goals.

Columbia Public School displayed its career opportunity training for youth program, which will provide work experience opportunities that teach students skills and training needed for their future careers. The program will focus on overcoming barriers, aiming to prepare youth for the workforce fostering responsibility, accountability and self-sufficiency.