THE FORCE - SLATE Podcast Episode 1 - Local workforce, Apprenticeships, and High Demand Jobs

In the season premiere of SLATE, The Force Behind the St. Louis Workforce Podcast, host Jade Harrell sits down with Connie Johnson, Executive Director of the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE). In celebration of National Workforce Development Month, they dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing our local economy—tackling the talent gap, addressing layoffs, and breaking down how SLATE connects job seekers with sustainable, high-paying career paths. In this episode, we cover: • The three types of job seekers in St. Louis: Skilling, Upskilling, and Reskilling. • Shifting the mindset from finding "just a job" to building a long-term career path. • How modern registered apprenticeships create debt-free pathways for workers with high retention for employers. • Key regional growth sectors, including advanced manufacturing and high-demand trades.