After more than four decades in workforce development, longtime COPIC Executive Director Trish Rogers retires with a legacy of leadership, opportunity, and changed lives across Central Missouri.
For more than four decades, Trish Rogers has dedicated her career to helping people overcome barriers, discover opportunities, and build better futures.
But long before she became Executive Director of The Central Ozarks Private Industry Council (COPIC), Rogers was on the other side of workforce development services.
At 19, she enrolled in a federal employment and training program for low-income teenage parents. She had left high school, was raising a young child, and faced challenges that could have limited her future.
Instead, that opportunity launched a remarkable career spanning 42 years in workforce development, including more than 30 years with COPIC.
Now, as she retires, Rogers reflects on the experiences, people, and lessons that shaped her career and workforce development’s lasting impact across Central Missouri.
A Career That Began With an Opportunity
Rogers first learned about workforce development through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) program.
Through CETA, she earned her GED and gained work experience at the Employment Security Office in Lebanon, Missouri. She later participated in the Rural Missouri Incorporated (RMI) On-the-Job Training Program, which placed her at the Lake of the Ozarks Council of Local Governments.
The experience opened doors to employment and additional education.
After her position ended following the phase-out of CETA, Rogers was contacted about a temporary opportunity with the Missouri Ozarks Community Action (MOCA) Agency.
She became a Summer Youth Employment Program Assistant in Pulaski County, helping young people find work experience opportunities in Crocker, Dixon, Fort Leonard Wood, St. Robert, and Waynesville.
That temporary position eventually became a full-time career.
By age 24, Rogers was the youngest full-time employee in MOCA’s Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) department, serving both youth and adults.
At 33, she became the agency’s youngest JTPA Program Manager, overseeing staff and services across eight counties.
In 1993, she joined COPIC as Program Manager for six counties in the Meramec subregion. When changes to federal workforce legislation required a new organizational structure, Rogers helped establish a COPIC Board of Directors to oversee program operations.
In July 2000, she became Executive Director of the newly structured COPIC.
Looking back, Rogers sees a career shaped by opportunities she never could have anticipated.
“My career spans 42 years of employment and 2 years as a program participant,” she shared. “Ironically, I never actually interviewed for any of the positions I have held.”
Turning Personal Challenges Into a Purpose
Rogers understands the challenges many workforce development participants face because she has experienced them herself.
She recalls leaving high school and becoming a wife and mother at 16. A family member once told her she would never work in a professional field because she lacked the education required.
Rather than accept that prediction, Rogers became determined to prove otherwise. Her early experiences shaped the way she approached her work and the people she served.
“My passion has been meeting the challenge and helping others who were just like me, become successful.”
Throughout her career, Rogers measured success not by titles or personal recognition, but by program participants’ accomplishments and the effectiveness of the services her teams provided. She also believed leadership meant working alongside employees rather than directing them from behind a desk.
That approach helped shape her decades of service at COPIC.
Helping Communities Recover and Workers Rebuild
Among the experiences Rogers remembers most are the moments when workforce development made a lasting difference for families and communities.
Early in her career, she attended GED graduation ceremonies for participants she had helped. Watching individuals reach an educational milestone and prepare for their next opportunity was especially meaningful.
Another defining experience came in 1995, when the H.D. Lee Company moved operations out of Lebanon and Richland, leaving hundreds of local workers without jobs. Many of those affected were Rogers’ friends and neighbors.
Working with human resource managers across the region, she helped develop and implement a Work Readiness Program to assist displaced workers as they prepared for new careers. The program even received recognition from Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan.
But for Rogers, the most meaningful recognition came from the people themselves. Many participants went on to become licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, business owners, and employees of other manufacturing companies.
Decades later, she still hears from individuals who benefited from the program. Their stories reinforce something Rogers has believed throughout her career: workforce development is about much more than finding someone a job.
“Workforce Development Programs do more than just help people get a job; they truly change lives and circumstances. I am an example of the value of these programs and services.”
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Leading Through Change
Over 42 years, Rogers witnessed major changes in how workforce development programs operate.
When she began, staff relied on paper records and spent much of their time meeting with participants, understanding their circumstances, and helping them find employment. Today, technology has streamlined many processes, but federal reporting requirements and performance standards have also increased the complexity of the work.
Rogers recognizes the importance of accountability while also emphasizing the value of personal relationships. She believes one of the greatest challenges facing workforce professionals is balancing administrative responsibilities with the time needed to understand and support individuals.
Despite the changes, the mission remains the same: helping people find meaningful, long-term employment.
As Executive Director, Rogers also focused on strengthening the organization and supporting the people who deliver services.
One accomplishment she takes particular pride in is working with the Central Workforce Development Board to improve compensation for COPIC employees. She also points to COPIC’s role in helping improve the Central Region’s workforce performance.
“I leave behind a trained, competent staff who are well-compensated for the good work they do and fully equipped to carry this mission forward,” she shared.
A Leadership Philosophy Built on Accountability and Encouragement
Rogers’ leadership philosophy developed through decades of challenges, decisions, and working relationships. She believes effective leaders address problems quickly, establish fair policies, take responsibility when things go wrong, and provide employees with the training and support they need to succeed.
Just as importantly, she believes employees should know their leaders are willing to work just as hard as they do. Her advice includes recognizing employees publicly for their accomplishments while handling conversations about needed improvements privately and respectfully. She also encourages new workforce professionals to remember why their work matters.
“Remember, the participants you are serving are the reason you have a job, so offer good service and support to everyone.”
This lesson is grounded in her own experience: her future changed because workforce development professionals invested in her potential.
Grateful for the People Along the Way
Although Rogers’ career includes numerous professional accomplishments, she is quick to recognize the people who helped her succeed. She credits her husband of 50 years, Stanley Rogers, as a constant source of encouragement, guidance, and support.
She also remembers Leibert McDow, the workforce professional who originally placed her in the CETA program. His words stayed with her throughout her career:
“You can go as far as you are willing to put forth the effort.”
That advice helped shape her belief in personal responsibility, perseverance, and the power of opportunity.
Rogers also expresses gratitude to the COPIC Board of Directors for trusting her to help build the organization and supporting its work throughout the years. Beyond her own accomplishments, she takes pride in hiring and mentoring employees who later advanced into careers in state government, plant management, and private-sector human resources.
Their success represents another part of her legacy.
A Lasting Legacy in Central Missouri
As Rogers closes this chapter of her career, she leaves behind more than decades of professional service. She leaves an organization she helped build, employees she helped develop, programs she helped shape, and countless individuals whose lives were changed through access to education, training, and employment.
Her journey from a young program participant to Executive Director illustrates the very purpose of workforce development: creating opportunities that help people build stronger futures. She remains a strong advocate for the Central Workforce Development Board, its staff, and the mission they carry forward.
And when asked whether she would make the same career choice again, her answer leaves little doubt about what the work has meant to her.
“If I could turn the clock back and start over, I would without hesitation!”
The Central Workforce Development Region extends its sincere appreciation to Trish Rogers for her years of dedicated service, leadership, and commitment to the people and communities of Central Missouri.
Her career is a reminder that one opportunity can change a life, and that one changed life can go on to make a difference for thousands of others.
Thank you, Trish!