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A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

A man with a shaved head and beard, wearing a black shirt and vest, smiles confidently with arms crossed against a blurred indoor background.
It’s been a long time since Kansas City was Cowtown, USA. However, the clearest view of tomorrow keeps an eye on the past, and this city’s history as Cowtown shows us that innovation, inclusion, and education will lead Kansas City to a vibrant future.
 
A century and a half ago, city visionaries bet big on the innovations of the day — railroads and cattle stockyards were the seeds of this metropolis on the Missouri River, and they helped build the wealth, culture, and dedication to education that lives here to this day.
 
Great Jobs KC can help any Kansas Citian improve their economic status. We offer scholarships to young adults and older scholars returning to their studies and provide job training to strengthen workers’ skills and economic prosperity.
 
We have seen, year after year, that scholarships and job training do so much more than help individuals. They lift families, especially when these programs include social support that ensures success. They strengthen communities by plugging a brain drain that leads people to seek opportunity elsewhere — or worse, not to seek it at all.
 
I encourage any of our neighbors to check us out and, if what we do resonates with you, to help our scholars. With your involvement, this will again be a city that innovates and develops the nation’s best workers. Cowtown USA did that in the late 1800s. As we close in on the first quarter of this century, a city that embraces education and values workforce training — and cares for all in the community, as any winning team does — will be unstoppable once again.
 
Earl

 

The image features the word "FIRST" written in blue capital letters, enclosed by two pairs of parallel lines on either side.

Our first Core Value, which is the one that drives our mission and inspires us every day, is SCHOLARS FIRST. Here's what our Scholars have to say:

I am in recovery from several addictions that controlled my life and made it completely unmanageable. I was wasting all the gifts that God had given me. I thought I was worthless and I lived in the woods or slept beside buildings downtown. I held a sign by the freeway and spent my days in distress and misery. One year ago, that was the story of my life. A cycle I did not believe was breakable. (But now) my life is forever changed. I am proud of who I am today. My family and friends see a change in me none of us thought possible. It’s amazing what one year can do in a person’s life given the right resources, support, drive, and commitment. I want to say thank you with my whole heart for Great Jobs KC.

Karla – Great Jobs KC Pawsperity trained Dog Groomer

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A set of three pairs of triangular arrows in blue and green, positioned on the left and right sides, pointing towards the center on a white background.

MAKE AN IMPACT. BECOME A REVIEWER. 

Woman at desk reads paperwork; text promotes volunteer opportunity with KC Scholars as an essay reviewer, a 100% virtual commitment of 18-20 hours.

Interested in volunteering for Great Jobs KC?

BECOME A REVIEWER
Logo of KG Scholars College Team with the words "Scholars" in black and "College Team" in orange.

Ambassadors

A group of five people stand holding lit letters spelling "FALL" in a room decorated with painted pumpkins on a table. A "Halloween Play" sign is in the background.
Logo of Kansas City Kansas Community College with red and blue geometric design and text.

On October 9th, our KCKCC KC Scholars Ambassadors, D’Mya Russell-Woods and Kaysha Love-Dumas, organized and held their first event, “Fall Fest,” at KCKCC Jewell Student Center. They hosted a Pumpkin Painting Competition and gave prizes to the best-painted pumpkins!

A group of seven people posing on a pickleball court, some holding paddles.
Two people play pickleball on an outdoor court at night, with others playing in the background.
UMKC logo featuring bold blue letters with a yellow flame above the "M".

UMKC KC Scholars Ambassadors Chinecherem Ihenacho, Jamie McClead, Nimo Saleban, Tiffany Ngo, and Zeruiah Dennis organized and held their first event, a Pickleball meet-up. Ambassadors and team had dinner together and enjoyed learning and teaching each other how to play a new sport; some left wanting to make it their new hobby. Our Ambassadors are excited to continue organizing events for other Scholars.

 

COLLEGE TEAM

Two people smiling and standing in front of a backdrop with "nspa" logos at an event.

In October, College Programs Manager Kaylie Smith and High School Lead Advocate Katlynn Templeton attended the annual NSPA conference on October 16th – 18th in Salt Lake City, UT.

 

People seated in a dimly lit conference room, watching a presentation on a screen at the front.
A group of people stands in front of a large brick building under a clear blue sky with the sun shining brightly.

On Saturday, October 12th, KC Scholars high school awardees visited the UCM campus.

 

HIGH SCHOOL TEAM

A college fair with various university booths set up in a large room, people walking around, and engaging in conversations.
People attending a college fair in a room with informational booths.
People engage at an informational booth in a large room, with brochures and a purple tablecloth. Others are visible in the background.

On October 28th, our KC Scholars High School team hosted a College Fair for our 2024 awarded Scholars to assist them in starting to make their choices about their postsecondary plans.

Held at The Kauffman Foundation, 21 of our Postsecondary Network partners attended and provided information to help our Scholars and their parents choose the right school for them. We love the opportunity to interact with our Scholars to help them navigate these big decisions, and our partners appreciate the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with both the Scholars, their parents and guardians.

 

Great Jobs KC" logo features blue and teal text with a shield-like shape containing "KC" on the right, celebrating careers in the city.
Logo with text: "KG Scholars Development Team." The word "Development" is highlighted in green.

Partnership with local clothing brand, Associated Humanity, supports a KC Scholars Named Scholarship

Hello, my name is Bezawit Mengstu, and I am a senior at Sumner Academy of Arts and Science. I would like to start off by saying thank you for giving me this amazing opportunity to further my education through your generosity. Education is really important to me, as it is the reason I came to the U.S. in the first place. I am going to be a first-generation college student, and I am interested in majoring in aerospace or mechanical engineering. I want to build a good career for myself based on my passions like math, physics, and problem solving.

When I first learned that I had been selected to receive the KC Scholars scholarship, I cried tears of relief and joy, and my mom cried with me too because it felt like a burden had been lifted off our shoulders. I was just overwhelmed with emotions because this was my best option in terms of scholarships. I had applied to many online, but I would never hear back. This scholarship is the beginning of the future that I want to create as an immigrant Ethiopian girl. I want to do so much in my life, and money and resources were two of the things that I didn’t have access to. This scholarship became the solution, not just in terms of paying for college but also in terms of entering a big network that will also connect me to opportunities after college. I hope that one day I can give it forward like you all have for me. Thank you again Associated Humanity for this amazing opportunity and for helping me in my journey to higher education.

– Bezawit Mengstu

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shop Associated Humanity apparel and support Bezawit’s educational journey

Community resources team

Our Community Resources Team is always on the lookout for ways to help our Scholars succeed in their studies. There are literally thousands of charitable organizations in Kansas City, and we know that many of these organizations have programs and services that can be useful to college students or adults in training for a new career. If your organization offers free or low-cost programs that our Scholars can access, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out anytime to CommunityResources@greatjobskc.org.

Text reads "Training Programs & Partners" in blue and green gradient font on a white background.
Logo for Apex CDL Institute featuring the institute's name in stylized blue and red letters with an outline of a truck.

On Saturday, October 26th, Apex Technical Institute hosted the Great Jobs KC Scholar Advocate Appreciation Day. Participants were treated to barbecue and ice cream, met Apex staff, and heard from scholars who successfully completed the Apex CDL-A program.

The Education Partnerships and Scholar Advocate Team were presented with a plaque to show appreciation for a great partnership.

Four people stand together holding a plaque in front of a "Great Jobs KC" backdrop.
A group of people smiling in front of a "Great Jobs KC" banner.
A person wearing a dark shirt smiles while holding a tablet. The overlaid text reads, "TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOB OR CAREER!

We want to hear about your SUCCESS!

Your success is incredibly important to us, and we are committed to supporting you even beyond the completion of the program.

In order to better understand the impact of our training programs and to continue building a program that better meets the needs of our Scholars, we kindly request your assistance in providing us with some updated information regarding your current employment status.

Could you please take a moment to provide us with the following details:

  1. Where are you currently employed?
  2. What is your current job title?
  3. What is your current salary?

    (A range is sufficient if you do not feel comfortable providing the exact salary)

TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOB!
The image shows a blue shield with the text "Great Jobs KC" written inside in white letters.

great jobs kc job training

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Total Scholars On A Path To Their Future Through Our Great Jobs KC Program

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Scholars Currently in a Job Training Program or professional skills workshop

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Scholars Working in a GREAT JOB

WORKFORCE & EMPLOYER NETWORK

On October 16th, Great Jobs KC hosted a healthcare hiring event at Rockhurst University, thanks to the sponsorship of HCA Midwest Health and the support of the HCA Healthcare Foundation. The event brought together 11 top KC area healthcare employers and a diverse pool of over 70 eager job seekers.

The event offered a wide range of opportunities for talented individuals seeking rewarding careers in healthcare. We were thrilled to see many passionate job seekers connect with potential employers and explore exciting new paths!

We’d like to thank our participating employers for their commitment to hiring local talent and contributing to the vibrant healthcare community in Kansas City. We’re already looking forward to our next event and the continued success of Great Jobs KC in connecting people with fulfilling careers!

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People attending an event at a venue with a sign thanking HCA Midwest Health as the event sponsor. Tables have displays and attendees are interacting with them.
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A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

GET STARTED

Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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