The SLATE Missouri Job Center Hosts Apprenticeships & Trades Career Fair to Connect Job Seekers with Long-Term Opportunities and Family-Sustaining Wages
The SLATE Missouri Job Center is bringing together over 30 apprenticeship and training providers, along with hiring employers, for the Apprenticeships & Trades Career Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the 1520 Market Street, 1st Floor Conference Room. This is a great opportunity for job seekers to explore career pathways that offer long-term opportunities and family-sustaining wages.
The event is part of SLATE’s month-long celebration of National Workforce Development Month and National Apprenticeship Month. This year, the event coincides with the agency’s 50th anniversary of service to the St. Louis community. For 50 years, SLATE has been helping St. Louisans build careers and providing a steady workforce for the region, even during times of growth and crisis.
After the devastating May tornado, which left many residents without stable employment, SLATE is working to ensure that these individuals have clear pathways to rebuild their careers as part of the city’s long-term recovery.
“SLATE has proudly served generations of St. Louisans for 50 years, and apprenticeships remain one of the most powerful ways we can prepare people for meaningful careers while helping employers build the skilled workforce they need,” said Connie Johnson, Executive Director of SLATE Missouri Job Center. “This fair is about opportunity for individuals, families, and our entire community to invest in our people and help rebuild their careers destroyed by the tornado.”
Apprenticeships are more than just training programs; they are direct pipelines to employment. They allow individuals to start earning while they learn, gaining real-world skills that employers are urgently seeking. SLATE has been at the forefront of expanding apprenticeship opportunities in the St. Louis region, placing over 100 job seekers each year into programs across healthcare, construction, information technology, and transportation.
Healthcare apprenticeships are among SLATE’s strongest tracks, preparing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in as little as 6-12 weeks for jobs earning $35,000-$40,000 annually. Many CNAs advance to Medical Assistant programs, which can raise salaries to $45,000-$50,000, and eventually to Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Registered Nurse (RN) careers, earning $60,000-$100,000. Transportation and logistics programs, including CDL training through partnerships with MIM Trucking, MTC Trucking, and St. Louis Community College, help fill the urgent demand for drivers, serving 20-25 participants each year. Information technology apprenticeships and training through providers such as Savvy Coders and Claim Academy prepare dozens of participants for high-demand, high-wage careers in software development, cybersecurity, and emerging AI technologies. Construction and trades remain a cornerstone of SLATE’s efforts, with over 50 young people gaining hands-on skills through SLATE’s YouthBuild pre-apprenticeship program each year.
