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Missouri Senator Nick Schroer and Missouri Representative Brad Christ, in partnership with Greater St. Louis, Inc., this week introduced a bill in the state General Assembly that takes an innovative approach to meeting Missouri’s workforce needs. The legislation, SB 637 and HB 1038, incentivizes Missouri businesses to increase the number of internship and apprenticeship opportunities in the state, which Greater St. Louis, Inc. believes will strengthen talent recruitment and retention efforts due to the fact that many undergraduate and graduate students get their start in the workforce through internships.
Why Is This Legislation Needed?
There are two key factors driving this legislation:
1) While Missouri colleges and universities attract a strong pipeline of in-state and out-of-state undergraduates, the state is a net exporter of those undergraduates, losing an estimated 20,000 every year.
2) Missouri’s top two metro economies, St. Louis and Kansas City, have much lower internship participation rates than many Midwestern peer metros.
Interns Become Workers
Research shows that 68% of undergraduate interns receive offers for full-time positions and of those, 76% accept. Therefore, incentivizing area businesses to offer more internship opportunities should help the state retain more graduates of Missouri colleges and universities.
Encouraging More Apprenticeships
Missouri is considered a leader when it comes to apprenticeships, ranking third in the U.S. for the most completed apprenticeships. SB 637 and HB 1038 would also encourage businesses to double-down on the apprenticeship success in Missouri, incentivizing the creation of more apprenticeship opportunities.
Resources
Greater St. Louis, Inc. has developed a shareable one pager on this legislation for you to download.