By TIM ROWDEN
Editor-in-Chief
Chesterfield, MO – Union members, local contractors and Labor allies teamed up to take a swing for the Missouri Works Initiative at its second annual Topgolf Tournament Feb. 29.
Silver sponsors of this year’s tournament included:
- Anders CPAs and Advisors.
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield/CarelonRx.
- IBEW Local 1.
- Ironworkers Local 396.
- Operating Engineers Local 513.
- Labor First.
- Laborers Local 110.
- The Segal Group.
- And ULLICO (Union Labor Life Insurance Company).
Missouri Works Initiative Executive Director Megan Price said the tournament was a rousing success, reaching its fundraising goal and bringing together Labor and union contractors for an afternoon of fun and comradery to support the Missouri Works Initiative’s programs.
“The top golf event is about more than fundraising; it’s about coming together to have fun and celebrate our work and impact – all of which would not be possible without our Labor and employer partners,” Price said. “Thank you!”
A non-profit organization sponsored and supported by the Missouri AFL-CIO, the Missouri Works Initiative is designed to eliminate barriers to economic opportunities by connecting Missourians to the necessary resources to build life-sustaining careers and address the state’s changing workforce needs by creating healthy and recovery friendly workplaces, connecting laid off workers with job-search or upskilling resources for future employment and collaborating with community partners to offer innovative points of entry to traditional apprenticeship opportunities.
A GROWING PROGRAM
Jake Hummel, president of the Missouri AFL-CIO, said the tournament was a good time for a good cause.
“A lot of people showed up to support the good work we’re doing getting people in the construction industry and also into healthcare industry and other industries,” he said.
In the past year, the Missouri Works Initiative has expanded its Building Union Diversity (BUD) program into high schools, expanded the Missouri Apprentice Ready (MAR) program to Mid-Missouri and started a healthcare worker safety training program with SEIU Healthcare.
The initiative is also working on a pre-apprenticeship in advanced manufacturing program and studying what other states are doing to expand workforce training programs to more industries under the Labor umbrella.
Last year, students at St. Mary’s High School in St. Louis became the first to be offered additional career options with the addition of a building trades pre-apprenticeship program run by the initiative.
The program teaches the nationally recognized North America’s Building Trades Union’s Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3), and counts toward two consecutive elective classes consisting of 120 hours.
In addition, the Missouri Works Initiative’s Missouri Apprentice Ready program has expanded into Kansas City and Springfield.
“We’ve been really excited about the direction our organization is taking,” Hummel said.
BUD PROGRAM
The six-week BUD program, which was started by the St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council, is the flagship of Missouri Works Initiative programs and serves as a recruitment tool to encourage more minorities and women to get into the union building trades. It provides pre-apprentices with the opportunity to visit participating local building trade unions to give them hands-on basic training and a feel for each of the trades.
MAR PROGRAMS
The initiative’s Missouri Apprentice Ready programs introduce, train, and connect people to high-paying, rewarding careers in the construction trades. The five-to-six-week construction pre-apprenticeships provide an industry-recognized entry point into the trades for traditionally underrepresented groups, creating a more skilled, equitable, and diverse workforce.
BUD is currently working with its 32nd cohort of pre-apprentices, the Kansas City MAR program is working with its 10th cohort, and the Springfield MAR just graduated its ninth.
Familiar faces at Missouri Works Initiative’s Topgolf fundraiser
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