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Category Archives: Jobs
KS Labor Report November 2025
TOPEKA –The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) has released the November 2025 Kansas Labor Report. The full report can be accessed here: November 2025 Kansas Labor Report.
The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) has released the October and November 2025 Kansas Labor Reports. Due to the lapse in federal funding during the federal government shutdown, all Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) operations were suspended from Oct. 1, 2025, through Nov. 12, 2025. As a result, KDOL will not publish separate reports for the October and November 2025 Kansas Labor Reports. Establishment survey data from the Current Employment Statistics program for October 2025 will be published with the November 2025 data. Household survey data from the Current Population Survey, which serve as the primary input to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, were not collected for the October 2025 reference period due to a lapse in appropriations and will not be collected retroactively.
The December 2025 Kansas Labor Report will be released on Friday, January 23.
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Upcoming Virtual Job Fair December 10
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Fort Scott Community College Names New President
Fort Scott, KS – It is with great pleasure that the Board of Trustees announces the appointment of Dr. Jack Welch as the President of Fort Scott Community College, effective June 30, 2025.
Dr. Welch brings to our college a distinguished background in higher education leadership and experience with FSCC and the community of Fort Scott. With his deep understanding of student success, community engagement, and academic excellence, he is exceptionally well-suited to lead our institution into its next chapter.
In this role, Dr. Welch will oversee all aspects of the college’s operations and strategic direction, working closely with faculty, staff, students, and community partners to ensure that our mission of accessible, high-quality education continues to thrive.
We are confident that he will bring vision, dedication, and collaborative leadership to Fort Scott Community College, and we look forward to the opportunities ahead under his guidance.
There will be an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and the community to meet and talk to Dr. Jack Welch at a later date. Thank you.
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The Business Retention and Expansion Survey Summary
Executive Summary
The Business Retention and Expansion Survey (BRES) was
conducted by HBCAT in collaboration with the City of Fort Scott
to assess the local business climate. The survey gathered 34
responses and six in-person interviews, reflecting ongoing
challenges in the region due to business closures.
Key Findings:
• Industry Composition: The largest sectors represented were Services (37.1%), Retail
Trade (22.9%), and Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate (14.3%).
• Employment Trends: 24% of businesses reported employment growth, 59% remained
stable, and 18% experienced declines.
• Workforce Challenges: 73% of respondents struggled with recruiting and retaining
workers, especially unskilled (38%) and semi-skilled employees (35%).
• Business Expansion & Financing: 18% of businesses plan to expand within two years,
while 15% reported forgoing expansion due to lack of financing.
Business Information Needs
Local businesses expressed a strong desire for more information on:
• Small business and entrepreneurial support resources tailored to the needs of startups and
local business owners.
• Workforce and job training programs to improve access to skilled labor and reduce hiring
challenges.
• Local market matching programs to connect businesses with regional suppliers,
customers, and partners.
• Access to capital and financing to support expansion, equipment upgrades, and working capital needs.
• Improved communication between local and state governments and businesses, to increase transparency and responsiveness.
Possible Actions Local Government Could Take:
1. Improve Marketing of the City – Increase promotional efforts to attract new residents, visitors, and businesses by showcasing Fort Scott’s assets, events, and opportunities.
2. Enhance Communication – Create clearer, more consistent communication channels between the City and the business community, including regular updates and outreach.
3. Develop Incentive Programs – Introduce or expand financial and regulatory incentives for new and existing businesses looking to launch or grow in Fort Scott.
4. Increase Workforce Development Efforts – Collaborate with HBCAT and other partners to create stronger pipelines for skilled labor and job training programs.
5. Address Housing as a Critical Need – Prioritize policies, partnerships, and development strategies that expand housing options for workers and families to support long-term
economic stability.
Next Steps for The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team:
1. Launch an Employer Learning Collaborative – Convene local employers to clarify their workforce needs, discuss shared challenges, and identify specific skill gaps, particularly around unskilled and semi-skilled labor. HBCAT may host panel discussions
and is seeking facilitation support to guide this effort.
2. Engage High School Students Through Mentorship and Incentives – Partner with high school business classes to connect students with the RCP Mentorship Program and Community Health Workers, and link them to financial incentives available through the
City’s small business grant program and local community college resources.
3. Explore Soft Skill Curriculum Implementation – Evaluate the existing soft skills curriculum used by SEK KANSASWORKS in other districts to determine cost and feasibility of implementing it in Fort Scott schools, with the goal of aligning with local employer expectations.
Submitted by Jody Love
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc.
Rural Community Partners
President and CEO
Office: 620-224-2563 Ext. 4
Cell: 620-215-2892
104 North National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
KANSASWORKS Hosts June Virtual Job Fair for Open Positions Across Kansas
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FSCC Special Meetings June 13 and June 16 To Interview President Finalists
The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will hold four special meetings in the Hedges Administration Building during the following dates and times. After calling the meeting to order, the Board will immediately adjourn to executive session for the purpose of discussing non-elected personnel as they conduct interviews of four presidential finalists. No action is expected to follow any of these special meetings.
Friday, June 13, 2025
8:15 am – 11:15 am
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Monday, June 16, 2025
8:15 am – 11:15 am
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Submitted by
Juley McDaniel
Director of Human Resources
Fort Scott Community College
New K-State Extension Agent For Southeast Kansas: Sandy Haggard
Sandy Haggard is the new Southwind K-State Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health Agent, who has an office out of Iola.
Haggard has been employed in the current Kansas State University Research and Extension, Southwind District since April 14
She felt this job was a good fit.
“I’ve often had a position where I coordinated a program or gave presentations, so I was looking for a position where I could use those skills. Also, at Neosho County Community College, I had been working in the same four counties with older adults who volunteered at non-profits, so I’m able to keep in touch with several of the same contacts. I had attended several K-State Research and Extension programs during the eight years I’ve lived in Kansas, so I was excited to work alongside the agents I’ve known for years. I’m looking forward to giving presentations on nutrition and health and getting to know more people in our four-county area.”
The job is multi-faceted.
Her duties include leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of research-based educational programming related to nutrition, food safety, and health.
This includes nutrition through the life cycle, supplemental nutrition education, food security, consumer and food handler food safety, local food systems, physical activity promotion, and chronic disease prevention.
She will be covering four counties: Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson.
In the next year, she hopes to have programs for ServSafe food handling, Dining with Diabetes, Food Preservation, and Basic Nutrition, she said.
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Secondary English from Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO, and Adult Education from Prescott College, Prescott, Arizona.
Haggard taught Adult Basic Education/GED Instruction at Northland Pioneer College, Winslow, Arizona.
She taught internationally as a Middle School English teacher at Morrison Academy in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and was a part of the English Faculty at Meiho University, Neipu, Taiwan.
Most recently, she has been the RSVP Director with AmeriCorps Seniors at Neosho County Community College (NCCC) serving Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson Counties.
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Rogers Body Shop Closed Its Doors: Couldn’t Find Workers
Larry Rogers said he “always figured that they would be taking me from my shop to the undertakers”, and that he would continue the auto repair shop work he had done for 37 years until he died.
But he couldn’t find workers to do the jobs that needed to be done.
“With what we do, put vehicles back to pre-crash conditions, we have to have people that can follow directions and come to work,” Rogers said. “Getting people to show up was a problem, more for younger applicants.”
“It wasn’t something we planned on doing, it was the turn of events,” he said.
“There should be five workers in the building, it ended up just Ryan and I,” he said.
“We had hired and trained workers, but not for over one year.”
His son, Ryan, has worked with him for 17 years.
“He was going to take over, but decided he’d go to work for someone else and let them have the headaches (of not having enough workers).”
Rogers quit taking on more auto body repair work at the end of October 2024 and had enough work on the books until the end of January 2025.
“I’ve talked to plumbers, mechanics, electricians, and they also couldn’t find anyone willing,” he said. “Things were tough before COVID-19. After COVID-19 we didn’t have many applicants. It used to be you’d have people stopping in to ask if we were hiring.”
“There used to be tech schools to train people on auto body repair…a lot of them have closed down.”
Nationwide
It is a nationwide problem, according to an article from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Workforce participation remains below pre-pandemic levels. The United States is missing 1.7 million Americans from the workforce compared to February 2020, according to https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage
According to the article
Employers are facing unprecedented challenges trying to find enough workers to fill open jobs. Right now, the latest data shows that there are 8 million job openings in the U.S. but only 6.8 million unemployed workers.
If every unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have millions of open jobs.
Some of the factors for this, according to the article are:
Early retirements and an aging workforce
Net international migration to the U.S. is at its lowest level in decades
Lack of access to child care.
Some opened their own businesses.
Increase in savings: higher-income and savings bolstered people’s economic stability.
Future for Rogers
“I’m not retired, said Rogers, who is 63. “I still own the Alignment Service, east of this building.”
Ryan went to work for a car dealership in Olathe in March, doing bodywork.
“I am basically trying to get ready for an auction, probably in June,” he said. “Trying to sort out and clean out the building. After 37 years in the business, there is a lot of stuff. The building will be for sale.”
“I don’t know what I’ll do after that,” he said.
Rogers bought the business from Frank Burchett in 1987 on East Wall Street. The building isn’t there now because of the new Highway 54 route. He built the current building at 120 W. 19th and opened his business in July 2003.
State Agency Jobs at March 19 Virtual Job Fair
KANSASWORKS Highlights Available State Agency Jobs at March Job Fair
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers searching for available talent to take part in this month’s Virtual State Agency Job Fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 19.
“Our state agencies have provided thousands of Kansans with fulfilling careers in public service,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “For those who are beginning the search for a professional career or those looking for a change of scenery — I encourage you to consider a purpose-driven role at one of our many departments and see what the State of Kansas has to offer.”
There are nearly 500 open agency positions located all across the state that range from entry to senior level careers. The virtual job fair format allows anyone searching for a state position to fill out applications, chat live and interview virtually with participating agencies.
This month’s Virtual State Agency Job Fair portal features helpful information such as a jobseeker training video, a list of participating agencies, and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as they might be asked to engage in an interview.
Candidates can participate through any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.
Registration is required to participate in virtual job fairs, regardless of previous participation. To register, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
About the KANSASWORKS:
KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers, online or virtual services KANSASWORKS is completely free for all Kansans to use. Learn more at KANSASWORKS.com. State employment opportunities can be found at jobs.ks.gov.
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Job Fair Set for Freeman Fort Scott Hospital: 60-Plus Position Openings for New Hospital
FORT SCOTT, Kan. – In preparation for the much-anticipated opening of Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc., a job fair will be held in early February.
Scheduled from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, the fair will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the future hospital’s location, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.
It’s an opportunity for Freeman to recruit and for individuals to explore what job opportunities are available. There are currently 60-plus openings for the new Freeman hospital. These positions include:
- RN – Acute Care
- RN – Emergency Department
- Social Worker
- Respiratory Therapist
- Nurse Tech – Acute Care
- Nurse Tech – Emergency Department
- Network Engineer
- Desktop Support Specialist
- Administrative Assistant
- Courier
- Supply Chain Technician
- Admissions Representative Specialist
- Monitor Tech
- Medical Technologist
- Medical Laboratory Technician
- Laboratory Medical Assistant
- X-Ray/C-T Technologist
- Vascular Sonographer
- Pharmacist in Charge
- Pharmacy Tech
Hiring managers will be available during the job fair and will have additional information about various openings.
Freeman Health System, the region’s largest provider of healthcare services, is in the process of seeking licensure to open and operate a 10-bed hospital and 24-hour emergency department with licensed physicians and trained nursing staff. Support for the emergency department includes laboratory, radiology, computerized tomography and an inpatient pharmacy. Opportunities to have outpatient lab, radiology and CT services will also be available to the community from the hospital.
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About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2024, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers and their experiences. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System one of the Best Hospitals for 2022. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
Danae Esslinger Hired As The New Uniontown City Clerk
Danea Esslinger is the new Uniontown City Clerk, as of December 5.
Esslinger has been on the Uniontown City Council for 13 years and lived in Uniontown for 29 years. Both of her children, Breanna and Brenton, graduated from Uniontown High School. She is the daughter of David DeWayne and Deana Fuhrman of Bronson.
She graduated from Garnett High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, with an emphasis in management from Pittsburg State University.
Recently, the council has had difficulty finding a new clerk to replace Sally Johnson who wants to retire from that position.
That’s when Esslinger decided to apply for the job.
At last month’s Uniontown City Council Special meeting, she resigned from her council position and applied for the job.
“I am wanting to do some things that make the city even better,” Esslinger said.
Duties of the Clerk
From a prior interview with Sally Johnson, retiring city clerk, she told of the duties of the Uniontown City Clerk.
“The Clerk position entails performing all duties as defined by Kansas State Statute and City Ordinances: receive and disperse monetary funds and maintain financial records; complete various administrative reports; grant applications & administration; prepare, mail and apply payments of monthly customer utility billing; assist residents via phone or walk-in; attend and record minutes of all city council meetings, write monthly community newsletter; maintain city website; other duties as required.”
New Treasurer
Sally Johnson is the new treasurer of the council, following the resignation of Charlene Bolinger, which was effective Nov. 13.
This part-time job is to “do bank reconciliation and make sure the clerk is getting things done correctly,” Johnson said.