Need a better paying job? Looking for a career change?

You might want to consider a career in the skilled trades.

Springfield city leaders have been trying to address the shortage of workers in the skilled trades – jobs in everything from construction, to healthcare, to computers.

Mayor Ken McClure says Springfield has more good paying jobs than people to fill them.

The Springfield Chamber of Commerce says there’s a demand for new workers in the skilled trades because older workers are retiring.

So how do you get people to consider a career in one of those fields?

“What I think we have to do is emphasize those needs. Emphasize that these are good careers, these are good positions. But also the fact that there’s a great need for them here (in Springfield).”

McClure says most people think you need to go to college to be successful.

But he says that’s not necessarily the case.

“I say this having been a vice-president at a higher education institution and having taught in college. But there’s been a lot of pressure for years and years that everyone needs to go to college, everyone needs to have that degree, and focus on skills that probably in the past we wouldn’t have emphasized as much.”

The Springfield Chamber of Commerce says most jobs in the skilled trades don’t require a four-year degree.

In some cases, you can learn on the job.

Need help getting started?

McClure says it’s available.

“I’d encourage people that want to either get into the market or to perhaps change jobs to get with our Workforce Development Office at the city of Springfield. It’s located out (in the Missouri Career Center) office at 2900 East Sunshine. And it provides good career counseling, good opportunities, those types of things that are really necessary.”

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