Veteran Jobs in Missouri

Those looking for veteran jobs in Missouri will benefit from a new state program.

Gov. Jay Nixon recently launched Show-Me Heroes, an initiative meant to showcase Missouri businesses that are willing to hire veterans. As part of the effort, Nixon is asking employers to sign a pledge to consider hiring a veteran if they have a job opening.

"I want every employer in this state, every technical school, every community college, every university ... every city and county, every state department with a job opening, to sign this pledge and show that Missouri Hires its Veterans," Nixon said.

Nixon said the Armed Forces face great burdens and sacrifices in order to preserve national security. Veterans also possess the degree of training, education, motivation and character vital to the state's future.

The state has launched a Show-Me Heroes Web site that will list the names of every employer who signs the pledge to hire a veteran, allowing veterans to see the employers in their region who have taken the pledge. Veterans looking for St Louis jobs or jobs throughout the state also will be able to post their resume through Missouri Career Source.

Since the program began about one month ago, 187 employers have signed the pledge, and that number is growing each week. According to an article by KOMU, Nixon decided to start the program after visiting deployed National Guardsmen in Iraq and Afghanistan last summer.

During December 2009, Missouri's unemployment rate stayed even at 9.6 percent, following a decrease from 9.7 percent during November. That places the state's rate lower than the national unemployment rate at the time of 10 percent, although that number has now decreased to 9.7 percent.

The state had a total non-farm employment of 2,708,300 workers during December, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 2,710,300 workers during November and a 2.3 percent decrease from December 2008.