About the IWT Program

Missouri is a nationwide leader in both Apprenticeships and Work-Based Learning programs. The Incumbent Worker Training program is designed to assist local businesses large and small by skilling up and retaining workers, increasing competitiveness, and providing a path for onboarding additional workers.

IWT is administered through local organizations and people that work and live in your community, so participants receive help from someone that knows the local economy. You will be guided by those assigned to your training program, and they will have the resources of the state of Missouri’s award-winning program at their disposal.

What is an Incumbent Worker?

An incumbent worker is simply another name for an employee who has already been hired by you and went through initial orientation or training for their positions. Some may have been working at your company for many years. It’s better seen as an opportunity for you to advance and promote your current workers and thereby open up other entry-level positons within your organization.

The purpose of IWT is to provide reimbursement to your business for the training costs accrued during the course of training. It is not a replacement for existing business culture or advancement methods. Rather, it is a model that builds on a business’s existing mentoring, training, and advancement systems.