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The Missouri General Assembly today passed legislation developed, in part, by Greater St. Louis, Inc. to help talent recruitment and retention efforts in the St. Louis metro and across Missouri. The Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act is included in House Bill 417, which was passed overwhelmingly by both houses of the Missouri General Assembly and now heads to the Governor’s desk for approval.
“Talent attraction and retention is a priority for the business community in the St. Louis metro and throughout the state of Missouri,” said Greater St. Louis, Inc. Vice President of Government Relations Adam Kazda. “The Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act creates another tool to strengthen our workforce development efforts.”
National data shows that increasing the number of internships in Missouri will support efforts to retain more graduates of Missouri colleges and universities, thereby increasing workforce numbers. But research conducted by Greater St. Louis, Inc. found Missouri’s top two metro economies, St. Louis and Kansas City, have much lower internship participation rates than selected Midwestern peer metros. On a per capita basis, internship estimates for the Nashville, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Columbus, and Cleveland metro areas are all much higher than those in the St. Louis and Kansas City metros.
The legislation — developed in partnership with Senator Nick Schroer (R-St. Charles) and Representative Brad Christ (R-St. Louis County) — will incentivize Missouri businesses to increase the number of internship and apprenticeship opportunities they provide.
“Because many Missourians get their start in the workforce through internships and apprenticeships, the Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act will help talent recruitment and retention efforts in the St. Louis metro and across the state,” added Kazda.
“We thank Senator Schroer and Representative Christ for leading the Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act in their respective chambers and thank HB 417 bill sponsor Representative Mike Henderson and Senate handler Senator Karla Eslinger for their work to successfully advance the legislation. We encourage Governor Parson to support this much-needed policy and swiftly sign HB 417 into law.”
The Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act:
- Provides a credit of up to $1 million per year.
- Provides businesses a $1,500 credit per paid intern or paid apprentice. A business can claim a maximum of $9,000 or six interns or apprentices.
- Incentivizes only newly created internships or apprenticeships.
- Establishes a qualifying intern period of sixty hours per month for two consecutive months.
- Establishes an apprentice period of 144 total hours in a calendar year.
Greater St. Louis, Inc. was proud to lead a statewide coalition of supporters that included Hermann Companies, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, Associated Industries of Missouri, NEXT Missouri, and the University of Central Missouri.