Six people stand in profile before a Kansas City-area map, with "Great Jobs KC" and "KC & BEYOND" text overlays. The world is watching KC as these professionals represent the city’s expanding opportunities.

while the world is watching KC, our eyes are on the future.

Do you have a WORLD CUP moment to share? 

Share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with us on our social media, and let’s celebrate KC together!

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

A 2026 adult learner in a black dress shirt and vest stands outdoors with arms crossed, smiling confidently in front of a stone building.

As the eyes of the world have focused on Kansas City during the World Cup, you can feel the undeniable energy it has brought with it. The global stage is right here in our backyard. We’ve built world-class infrastructure, welcomed international voices, and showcased the absolute best of what Kansas City has to offer. It is a historic moment of investment, preparation, and profound pride.

But as I watch our city celebrate this monumental event, I am reminded that the most impactful team Kansas City will ever field isn’t arriving on an international flight. It is already here. It is our Scholars.

The intense preparation and the transformative investment we have seen for the World Cup are exactly the same standard of excellence we bring to our mission every single day at Great Jobs KC. Every time we clear a path for a Scholar to pursue a degree and connect a Scholar with credentialed training for a life-changing career, we are training Kansas City’s future workforce and building an unstoppable team.

The World Cup has already brought unforgettable matches and the global spotlight, but our commitment to our Scholars creates an enduring legacy that will outlast any single event.

When we invest in our Scholars, we aren’t just filling open jobs; we are building the permanent economic infrastructure of our region. Our employer partners, community resources, and education and training partners are the powerhouse trainers and coaches building this workforce team. Together, we ensure that when the global spotlight shines on Kansas City’s booming economy and vibrant tech, healthcare, and trade sectors, the professionals leading those industries are homegrown talent.

Thank you for your investment, your shared passion, and for being the ultimate support to our Scholars. Let’s keep cheering them on to the biggest stage of all, their own bright futures, secure careers, and a stronger Kansas City.

With gratitude and excitement,

Earl

 

Text reading "Scholars First" in bold and script fonts, over a blue and green gradient background with right-pointing arrows, designed to inspire the 2026 adult learner.

From Incarceration to Inspiration: A Scholar’s Journey to Ownership

A man wearing a black cap, a black t-shirt, and a red short-sleeve button-up shirt stands facing the camera against a plain white background, embodying the spirit that says: The world is watching KC.

After more than 20 years of holding onto a dream, Brandon has officially stepped into his purpose, and he’s not looking back.

Upon completing the Barbering program with our partner Old Town Barber College, he shared deep gratitude and joy for what he calls a “golden opportunity” that changed the course of his life. Caught up with the wrong crowd at a young age, his path led to a 10-year prison sentence. After his release, he believed his future was limited to physically demanding warehouse jobs, earning no more than $16 an hour.

But his dream of becoming a barber never left him.

Through Great Jobs KC, he found the support and opportunity he needed to reclaim his future. Today, he’s earning $50 per haircut and is just four months away from opening his own barbershop.
 

His story doesn’t stop there. Because of his persistence, determination, and commitment to excellence, others took notice. He has since secured a funder who is fully investing in the launch of his business, removing barriers and accelerating his path to ownership.

Now, he speaks with pride about “buying his time back”—creating a future where he owns his schedule, builds a legacy, and gives back to others in the same way he was supported.

He is also paying it forward in another way by sharing his story and encouraging others to pursue opportunities through Great Jobs KC.

His message is simple but powerful:
 
“Thank you, Great Jobs KC, for the golden opportunity to live my dream and build a legacy.” – Brandon, Barbering
 
 

To learn more about our Scholars and their success, please visit our SCHOLAR SUCCESS page.

YOUR NEXT BIG

opportunitY

Five women, some in welding gear, stand together above the text "WANTO: Women in Apprenticeship & Nontraditional Occupations" on a blue background. The world is watching KC as these trailblazers break barriers in skilled trades.

Are you a woman looking for an incredible career?

When you think of high-paying, high-growth careers with excellent benefits, what comes to mind? If you aren’t thinking of advanced manufacturing, the skilled trades, tech, or construction, it’s time to expand your horizons. Historically, these fields have been labeled “non-traditional” for women. But today? They represent some of the most empowering careers available.

Thanks to our federal WANTO grant, we are actively recruiting, investing in, and supporting women who are looking for their future!

No Experience? No Problem.
You don’t need a background in the trades to take advantage of this opportunity. You just need a problem-solving mindset, a strong work ethic, and the willingness to learn. We handle the rest.

Ready to learn more about how our WANTO programs can launch your next chapter?

START HERE!

great jobs kc

staff spotlight

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go TOGETHER.”

Get to know our team, and what motivates us to support our Scholars.

great jobs kc

latest news

NSF logo with a blue globe featuring "NSF" letters, surrounded by a gold gear-like ring, next to the text "National Science Foundation." The world is watching KC as innovation takes center stage. 

EXPLORING CAREERS THROUGH THE NSF EXLENT GRANT

Through our Summer Program in conjunction with UMKC, Scholars have heard from 10 local and national employers and trade organizations as they explore the diverse array of career opportunities related to their educational experience. In July, these Scholars will deepen their exploration through experiential learning opportunities with three employers: Alpha-Omega Geotech, Garmin, and Geiger Ready-Mix. Scholars will observe a variety of jobs, learn more about career pathways, and even support work where possible. The opportunity will help Scholars determine their areas of interest and give them experience to set them ahead of other candidates as they begin their careers.

great jobs kc

development news

Our thanks to the Daniel Keating Foundation 

Six women stand indoors, smiling and holding a large check for $10,000 addressed to Great Jobs KC. Motivational posters and "The world is watching KC" slogan are visible on the wall behind them.
Pictured in the photo (left to right): Kristin Crites, Director of Corporate Development; Karolyn Dreiling, Associate Vice President of Development; Alison Hover representing the Daniel Keating Foundation; Gina Piccinini, Grant Manager; Laura Cooke, Director of Leadership Annual Giving; Maria Chaurand, Development and Donor Relations

We want to thank the Daniel Keating Foundation for its generous donation. They donated $10,000 toward Scholar Support Services for our KC Scholars Scholarship recipients.

 

THANK YOU

evergy

Our workforce development program creates opportunities for low- to modest-income adults across the Kansas City region to secure careers that lead to financial stability.

Evergy’s support advances our mission to prepare participants for careers in high-demand industries, including construction, healthcare, skilled trades, logistics/warehousing, and manufacturing. Participants have access to comprehensive wraparound support and individualized career coaching.

Thank you, Evergy, for supporting our mission and helping us to BUILD A STRONGER KC!

A group of nine smiling people in matching shirts pose together below the Evergy logo and a "Thank You" message, showing their team spirit as The world is watching KC.

great jobs kc

employer network

New employer partners

Labcorp logo with three overlapping blue circles on the left and "labcorp" in bold, black lowercase letters on the right—a look that stands out because the world is watching KC.

Labcorp is a global life sciences and healthcare company harnessing science for human good. We’re partnering with them to help our scholars begin careers in phlebotomy and as lab techs.

Logo for "Veinity: Vein Care Centers of Kansas" featuring a stylized gold 'V' and white text on a black background, highlighting that the world is watching KC for advanced vein care.

Vein-ity Vein Care Centers of Kansas is a boutique vein care center with opportunities for medical assistants, receptionists, and more

Aerotek logo featuring a stylized orange and blue "A" symbol to the left of the company name in bold black letters on a white background, representing innovation as the world is watching KC.

Aerotek is a mainstay in the staffing world in Kansas City. We are partnering with them to assist our manufacturing and logistics Scholars.

great jobs kc

community engagement

supporting our next generation of nonprofit leaders

During the month of June, our team has been hosting several ProX interns. Pictured are two of our 2026 ProX interns with Kayla, Career Coordinator and Don, Workshop Facilitator.

They have been working with the entire facilitator team over the last 4 weeks and have done an amazing job at improving their professionalism, public speaking, and data entry skills.

They were able to sit in and participate in all 4 workshops for the month of June and today during workshop 4, they and presented information on Communication and Conflict management to the class! We are deeply proud of our interns and the work they have put into their experience!

We will have a recap of the entire ProX intern team in our August newsletter. Stay tuned! 

Scholars on the path to SUCCESS

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TOTAL SCHOLARS ON A PATH TO THEIR FUTURE

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SCHOLARS CURRENTLY ENROLLED

0

SCHOLARS WORKING IN A GREAT JOB

Young person in a hoodie stands beside a blue background with text encouraging survey participation for the 2000 Scholars of Great Jobs KC.

Throughout the Great Jobs KC experience, we will request that you complete a few short surveys to collect data that allows us to:

  • Show our impact to our donors and partners to secure more funds to continue our programs
  • Improve our program process so it works for everyone
  • Tailor our support services to Scholars’ needs
  • Share stories of Scholar success to inspire others to change their lives

We want to build a stronger Kansas City, one life at a time, and we need your help and input to do it.

Select survey participants will be entered into ongoing drawings for high-end tech prizes including laptops, headphones, and tablets.

Keep an eye on your email and texts, take a few moments to PAY IT FORWARD by helping to provide access to opportunities for others.

If you’ve received this newsletter as a share and would like to be added to our distribution list, please enter your email address here.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

The text "Great Jobs KC Scholars" features "KC" inside a shield-like icon between "Jobs" and "Scholars," highlighting Kansas City education impact in this newsletter design.

Check out our BLOG and support our mission

Find out more about our programs and support!

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

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

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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