// CASE STUDY

From Challenges to Employer of Choice: The Impact of Skills Training in Buchanan County

When COVID-era recruitment struggles led to undertrained employees and rising turnover, Buchanan County partnered with WorkForge on a countywide manufacturing workforce training program, driving a 97% course completion rate and turning one employee’s growth story into a countywide “Employer of Choice” win.

Book a DemoBook a Demo
Book a DemoBook a Demo
Book a DemoBook a Demo

// CASE STUDY

From Challenges to Employer of Choice: The Impact of Skills Training in Buchanan County

When COVID-era recruitment struggles led to undertrained employees and rising turnover, Buchanan County partnered with WorkForge on a countywide manufacturing workforce training program, driving a 97% course completion rate and turning one employee’s growth story into a countywide “Employer of Choice” win.

Book a DemoBook a Demo

97%

Course Completion Rate

69%

Retention of Under-25s

41%

Average Score Increase

12

Companies in First Cohort

How Buchanan County Built a Countywide Workforce Training Program

Like many communities, businesses in Buchanan County, Missouri, faced significant economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, employees were often placed in roles without proper preparation, exposing a clear need for consistent workforce training and ultimately driving an increase in turnover across local businesses.

In response, WorkForge teamed up with Buchanan County and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce to implement a program aimed at boosting the skills of the county’s workforce, customized to fit the needs of area businesses.

The Challenges

Pandemic-Driven Recruitment Pressure: COVID-19 created significant economic strain, forcing many businesses to fill roles quickly and often without adequate training.

Rising Turnover: Consequently, undertrained employees placed in roles they weren’t prepared for contributed directly to increased turnover across the county.

No Shared Solution: Instead, area businesses needed a scalable, shared training resource rather than each company solving the problem alone.

The Goal?

Cut Down on Staff Turnover

Reduce regional staff turnover by bridging the skills gap through targeted training.

Help Employees Level Up

Provide employees with the tools to grow their skill sets and career paths.

Putting ARPA Funds to Good Use

Custom training modules: Using funding allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Buchanan County launched a program offering free employee training to eligible local businesses. To support this initiative, the St. Joseph Workforce Development Alliance served as an outreach partner, promoting the program and connecting local businesses with the opportunity.

The Solution: Workforce Training Pathways

A manufacturing learning pathway provides a proven training route for employee development staff and supervisors to follow and repeat, ensuring each employee receives the development the organization requires. Together, these pathways keep employees engaged while improving their knowledge and skill set.

The Buchanan County program’s learning pathways include:

Leadership & Core Skills: Supervisor/Leadership, Health & Safety, Food Safety

Manufacturing Technical Skills: Introduction & Advanced Computer Numerical Controls, Pneumatics, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Robotics, Manufacturing Logistics, Introduction & Advanced Welding, Fabrication, Composites & Materials, Electrical Troubleshooting, Six Sigma, Blueprints & Engineering, Automation, Basic Manufacturing Skills

Featured Story: From Shift Worker to Supervisor

Omnium, an agricultural product manufacturer in Buchanan County, was one of the first twelve companies to adopt and implement the county’s training program. At the time, one employee, Dillon, was working as a shift leader and actively seeking opportunities for professional growth.

After completing the Supervisor/Leadership and Team Building learning tracks, Dillon continued pursuing new opportunities to develop his skills. Recognizing both his commitment to growth and his leadership potential, Omnium’s management promoted him to Night Supervisor.

Dillon’s success is just one example of Omnium’s investment in employee development. In fact, since implementing the program, many employees have been promoted, using the skills gained through training to succeed in their new positions.

The Result

97% Course Completion Rate

Overall, participation and follow-through across the program significantly exceeded typical training engagement benchmarks.

Strong Test Score Gains Across the Board

After twelve months of the program, test improvement outcomes were collected from participating organizations:

Low-End Average High-End
Pre-Assessment Score 21% 62% 97%
Post-Assessment Score 76% 87% 100%
Percentage Increase 258% 41% 3%

Becoming an Employer of Choice

Omnium’s focus on employee growth caught the attention of county officials, who named it “Buchanan County Employer of Choice,” recognizing Omnium’s outstanding use of the WorkForge program and its commitment to employee success.

“We love it! We mainly signed up our Maintenance Department and some of our floor leads, and they are getting a lot out of the training. There is a lot of good information to be learned from the training, and it keeps the learner engaged.”

Melanie Cowger

Scheduling and Training Specialist, Omnium

Looking ahead

Buchanan County’s partnership with WorkForge turned a pandemic-driven recruitment crisis into a model for manufacturing workforce training across the region. As a result, the county saw a 97% completion rate, meaningful skill gains across dozens of businesses, and a real career path from shift worker to supervisor.

Ready to turn your own workforce challenges into an Employer of Choice story? Book a demo with our team today.