This year UMKC TalentLink and our expert instructors continue to focus on the importance of skills. Are you seeking a new job or changing career direction? Keep in mind that specific technical skills and soft skills (aka human skills) are desired in today's job market. Explore our new upcoming workshops, blog posts, and opportunities to develop skills that can lead the way to growth and accomplishment.

Hiring managers and talent acquisition specialists have also trained their sights on a skills-first approach. Certainly, a degree-based education remains important and relevant. Yet in recent years, employers are actively prioritizing needed skills among candidates within the labor market.

UMKC TalentLink actively works with employers in for-profit and non-profit to develop skills specific to each client's need. Let's start a conversation to see how we can work together. 

UMKC TalentLink team - Jake, Alexa, Candice, and Pete

In This Newsletter

• Guest blog post from Molly Weaver: Update Your 2024 Career Plan By Upskilling Or Reskilling
• Four New Workshops
• In the Community - UMKC TalentLink at the Greater Kansas City Veterans Career Fair

Update Your 2024 Career Plan By Upskilling Or Reskilling
Talent acquisition specialist Molly Weaver shares this guest post with a few strategies to help build your skills with career goals in mind.

Skills-first Training and Hiring Gains Traction Heading Into 2024 - Skills-first hiring is an ongoing trend, emphasizing job-relevant skills for candidates. Here's why.

How to Develop and Master Public Speaking Skills - Learn how to develop and master the skills you need to become and effective and confident speaker. These skills are still relevant for both professional and social use.

From the archives - How to Become a Better Grant Writer - Suggested tips and four online courses you can take to develop and upgrade your grant writing skills.

February 22 - Skills Based Hiring: Beyond the Buzzword

Talent acquisition expert Molly Weaver, one of our most popular instructors, discusses how organizations are beginning to move toward hiring based on skills – not necessarily degrees. Find out why.

March 6 - HR Essentials and Trends for Small Business

HR expert Jenna Eschenbrenner of Eighty-One Eleven HR Consulting simplifies the need-to-know details of how to maintain compliant and efficient human resources best practices for small businesses.

March 28 - Reclaim Your Energy: Managing Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion in Life and Work

Led by Terry Trafton (above), acquire practical skills to better manage burnout and emotional exhaustion by harnessing your emotional energy intelligence.

April 10 - How to Make A Big Ask of Leadership

Guided by expert facilitator Shannon Swift, learn a process that helps you design talking points, prepare, and deliver a persuasive proposal to leadership. Includes discussion with former Chief Human Resource Officer Ed Schloesslin about a corporate leader’s typical challenges, objections, and concerns with the "big ask."

SOFT SKILLS COURSES (FROM $149 AND UP)

Building Teams That Work

Fundamentals of Supervision and Management

Mastering Public Speaking

Managing Customer Service

TECHNICAL SKILLS COURSES (FROM $149 AND UP)

A to Z Grant Writing

Introduction to Business Analysis

Distribution and Logistics Management

Winning RFP Responses

Freight Broker Agent Training

Spanish For Medical Professionals

Discover Sign Language

EXPLORE OUR ENTIRE CATALOG OF ONLINE COURSES

Online Manufacturing Training Available Through WorkForge and UMKC TalentLink

Learn key manufacturing skills and knowledge that can demonstrate aptitude for an entry-level role to an employer. Take the first step toward landing an in-demand position with solid pay potential and opportunity to learn more.

Online learning available in 

• Aerospace
• Computer Numerical Control (CNC)
• Food Safety and Production
• Industrial Maintenance
• Introduction to Manufacturing Careers
• Robotics
• Welding

The future of healthcare and mental wellness begins with you or someone you know ready to help others in our community. 

Get specialized training in one of 30+ MedCerts certification programs.

• Flexible and convenient online study
• Achieve an industry-recognized certification
• Begin a career path with room for growth
• Prepare to earn competitive pay and benefits

UMKC TalentLink and UMKC will have tables at the Greater Kansas City Veterans Career Fair on Tuesday, January 30, from 1-4 pm. Meet us at the Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd., OPKS. 

We'll see you there!

umkctalentlink.com