“Ft. Zumwalt School District Hosting the Career WayZ St. Charles County Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator Signing and Completion Day”

The celebration at Ft. Zumwalt Professional Development Center marked a powerful milestone for youth apprenticeships in Missouri. With 27 new apprentices signed and 3 graduates recognized, this event showcased the success of the Career WayZ Accelerator model—uniting education, industry, and community to build the skilled workforce of tomorrow.

Rosie the Riveter’s Legacy Lives On: Career WayZ CEO & Apprentices Lead Panels at St. Louis Community College Women in Manufacturing Day—Featuring Female Youth Welders and Machine Operators

That’s the essence of apprenticeship: real mentorship, real learning, and real opportunity. This dynamic between employer, mentor, and apprentice is exactly why apprenticeship remains one of the most powerful workforce development models we have today.

Career WayZ Employers and Executive Experts Lead A Panel At the Inaugural Youth Apprenticeship Leadership Conference at Lake of the Ozarks.

What an incredible week at the Best Practices & Innovations in CTE Conference in St. Louis! The Career WayZ - USA team was honored to share with education and industry leaders who are shaping the future of youth apprenticeship.

You know the moment when your favorite player gets benched in the middle of a championship game? Or when the Wi-Fi goes out right before a big play? Yeah… that’s what it feels like in Missouri right now without our U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship (OA) team during this federal shutdown.

The U.S. Department of Labor and Career WayZ - Missouri are proud to recognize Dr. Brent Trankler of Oran School District for his successful completion of the Registered Youth Apprenticeship (RYA) Coordinator Apprenticeship Program.

At the Economic Development Council of St. Charles County’s Fifth Annual Awards Luncheon, I was humbled to accept the Talent Pipeline Initiative of the Year award on behalf of the entire Career WayZ team and partners for our work with the Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator.

When it comes to youth apprenticeship success, technical training is only part of the equation. The real magic happens when mentors and apprentices build meaningful, trusting relationships—and no one understands that better than Dan Shows and Lori Shows of Shows Coaching.

He showed up 15 minutes early. Quiet. Hoodie on. Eyes down.

That’s how one of our newest apprentices entered the Career WayZ - Missouri Strong Start Mentoring Workshop.

Three hours later, he was leading a conversation about communication styles, sharing openly about his fears, and walking out with a clear plan to meet with his mentor—confident, engaged, and ready for what’s next.

In under one year, Christi Waggoner has emerged as a driving force in youth apprenticeship, earning recognition across Missouri for her leadership in workforce development.

Emerson Luetkenhaus, a bright and determined 16-year-old student at St. Charles High School, located near St. Louis, Missouri, recently became a certified welder—and she did it in under 30 days.

Career WayZ St. Charles County Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator Celebrates Twenty-Five Manufacturing In-High School Youth Apprentices and Visionary Education and Industry Leadership

On May 20, I had the privilege of serving as a guest speaker at the CMA Family Business Forum in St. Louis, Missouri—an insightful and energizing convening of Presidents from multi-generational, family-owned businesses.

Meet Stacy Elsbury, the Apprenticeship Coordinator at Columbia Area Career Center (CACC) and one of the very first Apprenticeship Coordinator apprentices in Missouri ( with a CTE emphasis)!

The inaugural Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator (YAA) event on January 23 at Lewis and Clark Career Center has yielded impressive results.