Page 67 - FDI Alliance International Magazine | September 2018 1

to upgrade existing employees skills and find new, Initial discussions on the concept among the hospi- in their fourth year with no application and no MCAT
qualified workers. tals and Missouri Southern State University, began as testing; effectively creating a seven year program.
early as 2008. It was evident that state budgets were Regional hospitals are expanding and creating ro-
The Workforce Innovation Board provide pre-ap- not going to allow creation of a new public universi- tation and residency opportunities for the students,
prenticeship training to help people entering or ty-based medical school, so discussion turned to pri- emphasizing the path the students can take to build
re-entering the workforce, in gaining basic skills. vate medical schools. While set-aside in 2011 due careers in this area.
This pre-apprenticeship training focuses on the soft to the tornado, the conversation resumed in 2012
skills related to attendance, communication and with the Chamber creating the Alliance to formalize MSSU likewise is already benefitting with a jump in
teamwork. The training is focused on lower-income the partnerships and create a funding conduit. student enrollment in its pre-med program. An un-
people and is open to any adult, from high school anticipated result of the partnership with KCU has
age on. Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience been students who are coming to MSSU for its oth-
became a key target for the community’s efforts. er medical career programs like respiratory therapy
The Chamber offers public space for company and KCU had a mission to serve rural and family medi- and nursing. They indicate the relationship with KCU
community training needs. The Chamber has also cine and was already among the top medical schools has enhanced MSSU’s already strong reputation in
developed a culinary kitchen for entrepreneurs. The in the US in terms of doctors graduating and, it was those areas and also assures them there is a career
Chamber also has space for small firms to start up, expanding. KCU responded to the community and track to become a doctor in the future if they so
particularly those that can utilize Crowder students in said it would come to Joplin, if the community could choose.
the IT and CAD fields. address the lion’s share of the facility needs. The
two medical systems immediately participated, done Our experience so far indicates that partnerships fo-
The ATTC would not have been possible without providing the building it had been using for a tem- cused on serving the needs of our community and
the strong partnerships already in place among the porary hospital post-tornado and the other a cash regional businesses create success for those compa-
Chamber, City, Crowder and WIB. When the op- gift. The community provided additional support, nies and our people. We continue to place an em-
portunity arose to create a state-of-the-industry train- eventually raising more than $30-million regionally phasis on workforce training , because it is our belief
ing facility for manufacturing as well as support other for the school. that in an every changing economy business and or-
training needs, the organizations were ready to act. ganizations need people who are trained for today
A partnership that has brought success to our area KCU-Joplin opened in July, 2017 with an initial and that have the opportunities to train for tomorrow.
for the medical sector was creation of the Regional class of 164 and opened 2018 with another 164
Medical School Alliance. With two major medi- students; the first steps on its promise to bring a Rob O’Brian served as President of the Joplin
cal systems and numerous smaller hospitals in the 600-student medical school when at a full four Area Chamber of Commerce for twenty-three
region, one of the long held concerns was finding years. KCU-Joplin is the first new medical school in years. Rob founded O’Brian and Associates in
enough doctors to fill the needs. In particular, there Missouri in nearly fifty years. early 2018 to advise and assist communities on
was a feeling that a medical school in the region economic and workforce development”.
would not only train doctors, but also attract regional KCU worked with MSSU to help it realign its pre-
talent that wanted to stay here and serve the area med curricula. In this program, up to twenty-five top Rob O’Brian, CEcD
population. performing MSSU pre-med students can go to KCU O’Brian & Associates.

FDI ALLIANCE | SEPTEMBER ISSUE 2018 67