Keeping the Game Moving Until Our US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship Champions Are Back in the Huddle
October 7, 2025
WE NEED YOU & MISS YOU - JEANNA & TRACE!
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.
But here’s the thing: The Missouri Apprenticeship Team is still in the game. Employers are training, apprentices are learning, and Career WayZ registered apprenticeship coordinators are carrying the ball downfield. We’re just keeping the seat warm (and the playbook moving) until our OA champions return.
On the home front, we are graciously missing our dynamic duo:
Trace Laughery, our State Director (a.k.a. “Head Coach of the Playbook”)
Jeanna Caldwell, Apprenticeship Training Representative (a.k.a. “Captain of the Assist”)
I’ve needed them not once, not twice, but three different times in the last week alone. Each time I caught myself reaching for the phone like muscle memory, only to remember… oh no, they’re benched right now! And let me tell you — when they’re gone, we ALL feel it. Registered Apprenticeship doesn’t just “keep running.” It runs because of the steady hands, wise counsel, and quick saves of people like Trace and Jeanna. Without them, it’s a little like trying to run a motion offense with 5th graders, refereeing “hangry” teens, or twisting your ankle in a layup during warm-ups. Possible? Sure. But smooth? Absolutely not.
Now, in their absence, I got desperate. I jumped on apprenticeship.gov — our trusty backup virtual quarterback. And what do I see? Right there on the site: the Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator highlighted that Career WayZ has championed! It featured our amazing stakeholder, the City of St. Charles Economic Development Council, and ALL of our Accelerator Village! WHOOT WHOOT! We made it to the ARENA, team! Check out my awesome US DOL Coordinator apprentices here: https://www.apprenticeship.gov/national-apprenticeship-week/events/youth-apprenticeship-accelerator
I had to laugh — because of course, even when Trace and Jeanna are “out,” their fingerprints are all over the playbook, and like outstanding coaches, their players can maintain until we need their expertise. The Office of Apprenticeship loves to highlight the amazing work going on here in Missouri, and seeing the Career WayZ YAA showcased on a national platform was both surreal and an honor. With over 45 manufacturing students involved this year alone, it’s just one more reminder of how powerful this partnership truly is. We have 45 more coming up for our Fall Round!
Here’s the fun part: even though they technically “work for D.C.,” Trace and Jeanna don’t feel like distant federal officials. They feel like next-door neighbors here in Missouri — the kind who show up with the right tools when your mower won’t start, or with an egg when you need just 1 more! And while I’m at it — a massive shout-out to the real MVPs who keep this Career WayZ model mobilizing every day:
Our manufacturing employers who open their doors, invest in people development, and build sustainable careers. You’re not just making products — you’re making futures.
Our Career WayZ education partners None of this apprenticeship magic would happen without the superintendents who open the doors, clear the pathways, and let innovation take the court. You are the real franchise owners making sure the team stays funded, supported, and built to win.
And then we’ve got the legendary players — the ones who don’t just run the plays, they redraw the playbook. Take Pat Brown, for example. He’s been like the Larry Bird (I am showing my age) of CTE expansion — fearless, strategic, and never afraid to take the three-pointer that changes the whole game. Here’s to the superintendents and legends who keep raising the bar and showing us that Collaboration > Competition every single time.
Our coordinators —who show up daily to coach apprentices, cheer them on, and power through our rigorous Registered Apprenticeship Coordinator Apprenticeship training. 17 strong in Missouri alone, supporting over 242 of the 460 Registered Youth Apprentices statewide. Talk about a heavy lift! You’re the backbone of this work.
Because of leaders like this, Career & Technical Education isn’t stuck in the past. It’s breaking out of the “normal routes” and opening up new championship runs for our students, employers, and communities.
Career WayZ? We’re just the collaborative bridge. We bring real-world skills gap solutions, apprenticeship expertise, and employability tools to connect the best of education with the vision of industry. The magic happens because of you — our employers, educators, and coordinators who live this work every single day.
So when the lights go off in D.C., it doesn’t just feel like a political talking point. It feels like our trusted teammates are sidelined, and the game isn’t nearly as fun — or as effective — without them. To Trace and Jeanna: the Missouri apprenticeship world misses you. Hurry back — we’ve got apprentices to launch, employers to rally, and a whole lot of momentum to keep building.
Until then, I’ll just keep hitting refresh on Apprenticeship.gov and smiling every time I see Missouri’s Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator in the spotlight.
Pictured above are some of our amazing youth apprentices, shown with their instructors and their fearless leader and head coach, Martin Hanley. Joining them were several of our Registered Apprenticeship Coordinator Apprentices, kicking off recruiting season with a splash!
These apprentices are not only excelling in their own training but also paving the way for their peers as they proudly represent our St. Charles County manufacturing companies. At our recent informational meeting at Lewis Clark Career Center, we welcomed more than 80 students eager to learn about opportunities ahead.
Our apprentices are doing an outstanding job leading the charge — scouting, recruiting, and inspiring the next rookies who will step onto the field at our upcoming Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator this November!
Schedule a consultation here: https://careerwayz.org/contact
Follow Career WayZ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/career-wayz-missouri/
Follow Cynthia Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-walker-46b8087a/
