Best Job & Career in Missouri — 17 resources

About Job & Career for Women

Job and career resources for women run through the 2,400+ American Job Centers (AJCs) nationwide, the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau, and SBA Women's Business Centers. AJCs offer free job search, resume help, and WIOA-funded training (often

0,000+ in tuition for in-demand occupations). WANTO grants fund women entering nontraditional trades like construction, electrical, and HVAC. Registered Apprenticeships pay workers during training, and organizations like Chicago Women in Trades, Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW), and Dress for Success support entry and re-entry. For formerly incarcerated women, programs like the Center for Employment Opportunities provide transitional jobs. This directory includes AJCs, WBCs, apprenticeships, and women-focused workforce programs.

Job & Career in Missouri

Missouri circuit courts hear family matters through family court divisions in each of its 45 judicial circuits. The Family Support Division runs child support enforcement under DSS. Kansas City, Saint Louis, Springfield, and Columbia are the largest metros. Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, and the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence serve women.

17 Resources

1. Missouri Job Centers — Free

The Missouri Job Center system at jobs.mo.gov operates 30+ American Job Centers statewide — locations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, Cape Girardeau, and beyond — providing free resume help, training referrals (WIOA-funded), and job search. Call 888-728-5627 to find the closest center and ask which trainings have open seats.

888-728-5627 · Statewide — Multiple Locations · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Women's Employment Network — Kansas City — Free

WEN at 1740 Paseo in Kansas City has helped low-income KC women re-enter the workforce since 1986 through job-readiness cohorts, financial-empowerment classes, and one-on-one coaching. Programs include New Beginnings and Money Management. Call 816-822-0202 to ask about the next cohort start date.

816-822-0202 · 1740 Paseo Blvd, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64108 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

3. St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) — Free

SLATE at 1520 Market Street in downtown St. Louis is the city's local workforce development agency, operating American Job Centers and administering WIOA training dollars. Mothers can access free resume help, occupational training scholarships, and the Step Up summer-jobs program. Call 314-589-8000 weekdays.

314-589-8000 · 1520 Market St, Suite 3090, St. Louis, MO 63103 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

4. Goodwill Industries of Eastern Missouri — Free

MERS Goodwill at 1727 Locust in downtown St. Louis runs job training, career counseling, and supported employment placement, plus the Excel Center adult high school for adults pursuing diplomas. Services are free; Goodwill's retail stores fund the mission. Call 314-241-3464 to schedule a career assessment.

314-241-3464 · 1727 Locust St, St. Louis, MO 63103 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

5. Full Employment Council — Kansas City — Free

FEC at 1740 Paseo Boulevard is the KC region's workforce development agency, operating American Job Centers and administering WIOA training scholarships across Jackson, Cass, Clay, Platte, Ray, and Lafayette counties. Call 816-471-2330 to ask which in-demand occupations FEC currently funds for training.

816-471-2330 · 1740 Paseo Blvd, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64108 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

6. Missouri Women's Business Center — Free

The Missouri Women's Business Center, SBA-funded and operating from Kansas City, provides free one-on-one business counseling, business-plan reviews, and access to microloans for women starting or scaling businesses statewide. Call 816-235-6157 to schedule a free advising session.

816-235-6157 · Kansas City, MO 64106 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

7. Year Up St. Louis — Free

Year Up St. Louis at 4220 Duncan Avenue in the Cortex District runs a free one-year career-training program for young adults 18-29 leading to corporate internships at firms like Edward Jones, Wells Fargo, Centene, and BJC. Receive a stipend during training. Call 314-669-7200 to ask about the next cohort.

314-669-7200 · 4220 Duncan Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

8. CareerOneStop — Free

CareerOneStop, sponsored by the US Department of Labor, hosts the federal American Job Center finder, occupation profiles with Missouri wage data, scholarship search, and training program directories. Useful for Missouri mothers comparing healthcare, IT, and skilled-trade careers before committing to a training pathway.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. America's Job Centers — Free

The American Job Center locator returns the closest of Missouri's 30+ workforce centers by zip — Job Centers in St. Louis (SLATE), Kansas City (FEC), Springfield, Columbia, Cape Girardeau, and rural Show-Me locations. All offer free job-search assistance regardless of unemployment status.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

DOL's Women's Bureau publishes Missouri-relevant data on women's labor-force participation, the gender pay gap by occupation, and paid-leave policy. Useful for Missouri women researching wage equity, scheduling protections, and federal employment-law remedies.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Dress for Success — Free

Dress for Success has Missouri affiliates in Kansas City (1740 Paseo) and Midwest network partners serving the St. Louis area. The free interview-suiting, career-coaching, and Going Places Network programs help low-income women returning to work. Find your closest affiliate by zip at dressforsuccess.org.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Bottomless Closet — Free

Bottomless Closet provides free interview-appropriate clothing and career development for low-income women. Missouri women can also find similar wardrobe assistance via Dress for Success KC and through local YWCA programs in St. Louis and Kansas City.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Year Up — Free

Year Up has a Missouri site in St. Louis (Cortex). The free one-year training-plus-internship model places young adults 18-29 directly into corporate roles at Missouri employers like Edward Jones, Centene, BJC, and Wells Fargo. Apply at yearup.org regardless of college background.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Goodwill operates MERS Goodwill (eastern Missouri including STL) and Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas (Kansas City) — both offering free career counseling, GED prep, skills training, and supported placement. The Excel Center model serves adult learners pursuing diplomas.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. Women Employed — Free

Women Employed advocates nationally on pay equity, scheduling fairness, and access to non-traditional jobs — issues directly affecting Missouri women in retail, healthcare, and food service. The site has free career-planning resources Missouri women can use independently.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

16. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE has active chapters in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, and the Lake of the Ozarks providing free 1:1 mentorship from retired and active executives for Missouri women starting or growing businesses. Match with a Missouri mentor at score.org by industry.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

17. SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership — Free

SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership funds the Missouri Women's Business Center in Kansas City and the J. Smith Lever Women's Business Center serving St. Louis. Both offer free business counseling, training, and microloan access for Missouri women entrepreneurs.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in Missouri?
Women's Corner tracks 17 job & career resources for women in Missouri.
Are job & career resources in Missouri free?
17 of the 17 listed job & career resources in Missouri are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Missouri have job & career resources?
Listings span cities including Kansas City, St. Louis.
What are some examples of job & career resources in Missouri?
Featured entries include Missouri Job Centers, Women's Employment Network — Kansas City, St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE), Goodwill Industries of Eastern Missouri, Full Employment Council — Kansas City.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
7 of 17 Missouri job & career listings include phone numbers.
Where do I get free job training?
Your local American Job Center (find at CareerOneStop.org or call 1-877-872-5627) offers free training, resume help, and job placement through the WIOA program. Goodwill, Dress for Success, and Bottomless Closet provide job-readiness, interview clothing, and coaching. Community colleges run short-term certificate programs (CNA, medical billing, IT) under
,000 that lead to immediate jobs.
Are there programs that hire single mothers?
Yes. Many employers partner with Goodwill, YWCA, and Workforce Boards on second-chance and single-mom hiring tracks — childcare assistance, flexible schedules, and tuition reimbursement included. Look at 'Family Forward NC' style state initiatives, certified Family-Friendly employers, and federal contractors (required to support working parents). Healthcare and logistics are the fastest-growing single-mom-friendly fields.
How do I write a resume after years out of the workforce?
Skip the chronological format — use a functional or hybrid resume that leads with skills (organization, budgeting, time management, problem-solving from caregiving counts). Reframe volunteer work, PTA, and freelance work as professional experience. Free help: American Job Centers, Dress for Success Career Center, LinkedIn's free resume builder, and the SBA Women's Business Centers.
What if I have a criminal record?
You still qualify for most jobs — Ban-the-Box laws in 37 states delay background questions until later in hiring. Federal contractors can't ask about records on the initial application. The Federal Bonding Program insures employers against loss for hiring you. Many states allow expungement of certain records after a waiting period — ask legal aid about clearing your record.