Empower Your Workforce
Incumbent Worker Training Program
Enhance your business by reskilling and upskilling your current employees with our comprehensive training programs.
Take Action Today!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to improve your workforce and receive financial support for training. Join the Incumbent Worker Training Program now!
About the IWT Program
The Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) program is designed to help local businesses in Missouri retain and advance their employees. By participating, businesses can increase their competitiveness, avoid layoffs, and stimulate the local economy. Administered through local organizations, the program ensures that participants receive personalized support from community members who understand the local economic landscape. The IWT program is a valuable resource for businesses looking to invest in their workforce and foster long-term growth.
Key Features of the Incumbent Worker Training Program
Reimbursement for Training Costs
Receive financial support to cover the expenses of training your employees, making it easier to invest in their development.
Customizable Curriculum
Design a training program that fits the specific needs of your business and employees, ensuring relevant and effective skill development.
Skill Retention and Advancement
Help your employees acquire new skills and advance within your organization, reducing turnover and fostering loyalty.
Economic Stimulus
Contribute to the local economy by developing a more skilled workforce, which can lead to business growth and community prosperity.
Qualifications for Participation
To qualify for the Incumbent Worker Training Program, your business must demonstrate a need to prevent potential layoffs or the necessity to acquire skills for employee retention and advancement.
Additionally, you must develop a training curriculum that leads to a wage increase and provide a certificate of achievement upon completion. All necessary paperwork must be signed and approved before the training begins.
Ensuring these qualifications are met will help your business benefit from the program and support the growth and development of your workforce.
Understanding Incumbent Workers
What is an Incumbent Worker?
An incumbent worker is an employee who has already been hired and has completed initial orientation or training. These workers may have been with your company for many years and are integral to its operations. The Incumbent Worker Training Program provides an opportunity to further develop these employees, allowing them to gain new skills and advance within the organization. This not only enhances their career prospects but also opens up entry-level positions for new hires, fostering a cycle of growth and development within your business.
Take Action Today!
For more information, email us or click below to find the Job Center closest to you.
Central Region News
Osage County Maintains Certified Work Ready Community Status
Osage County has once again demonstrated its commitment to workforce excellence. County Clerk Brooke Dudenhoeffer recently accepted the Certified Work Ready Community award for Program Year 2025, recognizing the county’s ongoing investment in building a skilled, job-ready workforce.
CWDB Member Tamara Tateosian Appointed to Missouri State Workforce Development Board
Congratulations to CWDB member Tamara Tateosian, CEO of the Callaway Chamber of Commerce, on her appointment to the Missouri State Workforce Development Board — confirmed by the Missouri Senate on April 15, 2026.
When the Plan Changes: Building Adaptability Into Your Work
Change is not the exception in workforce development — it is part of the job. Here is how Central Region team members can build adaptability into their work and stay grounded in the mission when circumstances shift.
Tune into the podcast
The Workforce Link Podcast with Sundi Jo Graham
The Workforce Link Podcast offers forward thinking conversations for the workforce, linking employers and job seekers to a brighter tomorrow.
Hosted by Sundi Jo Graham from the Central Workforce Development Board, The Workforce Link covers job searching, resume and interview tips, leadership, personal development, and features interviews with industry leaders from the private and public sectors.
Episode 82: Why Job Descriptions Are Scaring Away Good Candidates
Is your job description driving away top talent? In Episode 82 of The Workforce Link Podcast, we break down why job descriptions are quietly scaring away good candidates and six practical things you can do right now to fix them.