Empowering Missouri Veterans

Your Path to a Successful Civilian Career Starts Here

We prioritize Missouri veterans by offering comprehensive career services to help you transition smoothly into the civilian workforce.

Making Veterans a Priority

Dedicated Support for Missouri Veterans

At the Central Workforce Development Region, we understand the unique challenges faced by veterans transitioning to civilian life. Our dedicated team provides personalized career counseling, job placement assistance, and training resources to ensure you find meaningful employment. We offer no-cost services including career assessments, résumé and cover letter assistance, interview preparation, job search workshops, and access to labor market information. Our goal is to honor your service by helping you achieve your career aspirations.

Whether you are a veteran or a qualifying spouse, our services are designed to support your career journey. From on-the-job training programs like Show Me Heroes OJT to internships through the Career Skills Program, we offer various pathways to success. Our partnership with Fort Leonard Wood allows us to place transitioning service members into internships with civilian organizations, providing valuable experience and easing the transition to civilian employment.

See Qualification Requirements Below

No-Cost Services for Veterans

Career Assessment and Counseling

Receive personalized career assessments and expert counseling to help you transition smoothly into the civilian workforce.

Résumé and Cover Letter Assistance

Get professional help with crafting résumés and cover letters that stand out to potential employers.

Job Placement Assistance

Benefit from our job placement services to find the right job that matches your skills and career goals.

Qualification Requirements

To access our services, you must meet one of the following criteria:

A Veteran Who: Has served at least one day in active military, naval, or air service and was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

Or The Spouse Of: Any Veteran who died of a service-connected disability, any member of the armed forces serving on active duty who has been listed for at least 90 days as missing in action, captured in the line of duty, or forcibly detained by a foreign government, or a Veteran who has a total disability resulting from a service-connected disability, or died while such a disability was in existence.

Veterans’ Career & Employment Services

Priority of Service

Veterans and their families receive priority access to employment, training, and placement services, ensuring they get the support they need first.

Mo Heros

Our On-the-Job Training program allows veterans to earn while they learn, gaining valuable experience in their chosen career field.

Take the Next Step in Your Career

Are you ready to leverage your military experience into a fulfilling civilian career? The Central Workforce Development Region is here to support you every step of the way. Find a job center near you and start accessing our comprehensive services today.

Central Region News

A Move, a Job Search, and a New Chapter in Social Work for Antoinette Agosto

After a resume review at the Columbia Job Center, Antoinette Agosto used JVSG services to land a full-time social worker role with Good Shepherd Hospice in under a month.

A Janitorial Job Was All Jillian Knew. A Preschool Classroom Showed Her What She Wanted

high school senior with only janitorial work behind her, Jillian Boyles used the WIOA In-School Youth program to test a career in childcare, and turned a paid Work Experience at Tiger Tots into a real job.

A GED Wasn’t in Her Past. A Classroom Full of Kids Is Now Her Future. (Hannah’s Success Story)

Ashley built a career as a Certified Medical Assistant, then decided to go further. With support from WIOA Adult, EDA, and Healthy Blue, she earned her nursing degree and RN license, and now earns nearly $12 more per hour.

Missouri Education Agencies Partner with Google to Provide Free AI Training

Missouri is partnering with Google to expand free access to AI training, Google Career Certificates and education tools for job seekers, students and educators across the state.

A Move, a Job Search, and a New Chapter in Social Work for Antoinette Agosto

When veteran Eddie Agosto walked into the Columbia Job Center looking for direction, he found more than a resume review. Through the Jobs for Veterans State Grant program, he landed a role that puts his social work background to meaningful use.

Missouri Jobs Report: July 2026 — Nearly 30,000 Jobs Added Year-Over-Year as Unemployment Falls to 3.6%

Missouri added 8,100 jobs in July 2026, unemployment fell to 3.6 percent, and year-over-year job growth reached nearly 30,000 positions. Here’s a breakdown of the latest labor market data and what it means for workers and employers across mid-Missouri.

What Students Can Teach Us About Showing Up

Every August, students walk into buildings they have never been in before and agree to spend months learning things they do not yet understand. What if the rest of us did the same? Here is what students can teach us about showing up.

A Certified Medical Assistant, Ashley Wanted More. Nursing School Delivered It

Ashley built a career as a Certified Medical Assistant, then decided to go further. With support from WIOA Adult, EDA, and Healthy Blue, she earned her nursing degree and RN license, and now earns nearly $12 more per hour.

Keeoctea Hightower Wanted a Fresh Start. The Central Region Job Center Helped Her Find One

Veteran Keeoctea Hightower came to the Columbia Job Center for resume help and career guidance. With support from Wagner-Peyser and JVSG services, she landed full-time employment at a VA hospital.

Central Region Joins Local Partners At Lebanon Summer Outreach Event

Free community resources came together at the Lebanon YMCA this summer, with the Central Workforce Development Region on hand to connect attendees with job seeker services.

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.

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