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College / Career Prep

College Prep

Access Local and National College Funding – Money Smart KC College Funding Topic

Is College Worth It?

KC Degrees

KC Degrees supports adults in the Kansas City region to earn a college degree or high quality certificate. KC Degrees provides adults in-person, phone, and online advisement to help navigate the process to return and finish college. To get started complete the online intake form (https://www.tfaforms.com/444821). For questions, visit KC Degrees (www.kcdegrees.org) or call toll free 844-872-6009.

Educational Opportunity Center

Educational Opportunity Center – 816-604-4400 – The Educational Opportunity Center assists high school students and adults who are pursuing GED/HiSet or college/post-secondary education programs. Free services include: academic advising, college planning & selection, career counseling, financial aid & scholarship application assistance, defaulted student loan resolution counseling, and HiSet/GED referral & placement.

Community America

Community America Education and Career Planners will create a customized roadmap to assist you in preparing for the major milestones in the college planning process including:

  • Pre-college preparation– Know exactly what you need to do to prepare for your next great milestone
  • Choosing the right school– Match your needs and goals with the varied options for education after high school, such as college, community college, technical training or career preparation
  • Career and major exploration– Focus on your career goals and create a plan to accomplish your goals
  • Paying for college– Understand possible financing options, including scholarships, loans, grants, self-funded, work-study program or help from mom and dad

It’s never too early (or too late) to start planning. Whether you have a child in elementary school, a high school senior, a current college student or want to make a career change, we can help create a path to success.

Career Prep

Preparing for your future career involves some sort of education or training. A good place to get started to plan your career is through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Career One Stop Shop. This is a national database of all organizations helping adults receive employment, training, certification, etc.

Career Toolkit

Find a local resource for career development

Excelsior Springs Job Corps – Missouri Full Employment Council (FEC) – Missouri

Hire KC Youth – Missouri and Kansas

Women’s Employment Network – Missouri and Kansas

Women’s Employment Network – Kansas

Employment Resources for those with Disabilities

A complete description of career preparation resources.

Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center and Training Center (KC, MO)

Excelsior Springs Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people, ages 16 through 24, improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training. Contact: (816) 629-3111

Workforce Partnership

Workforce Partnership is committed to building a workforce development system that meets the needs of both job seekers and employers throughout the Kansas City area. We have a network of career centers in Johnson, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte counties offering professional expertise to employers and job seekers.

Full Employment Council

The Full Employment Council (FEC), Inc. is a one-stop destination for job seekers and employers in the Greater Kansas City area. Contact your local FEC .

Hire KC Youth

Hire KC Youth is a citywide initiative dedicated to unlocking opportunity and connecting youth to future careers in Kansas City. The mission of Hire KC Youth is to improve the social and economic outcomes of the region’s youth by attracting, aligning, and investing resources in coordinated, next-generation youth workforce programs.

SHIFT – (Employer and Employee Disability Inclusion)

SHIFT simplifies disability inclusion. We connect businesses and job seekers with everything needed in one easy-to-use place, including valuable coaching at every step. Created by the Greater Kansas City Business Leadership Network, SHIFT is changing the face of disability inclusion.

H&R Block Business & Career Center

Find financial and job resources at the Library through the H&R Block Business and Career Center has dedicated staff and resources to provide employment, financial, business and non-profit services.

  • Job search online tools for finding employment
  • Job Now guides you through the necessary tasks to get a job, including acing the interview, building a résumé, and personality & career assessments.
  • Learning Express offers practice tests for standardized tests, such as the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and Law School Admission Test (LSAT), civil service exams, the U.S. citizenship test, and occupational licenses, including practice tests for nurses and paramedics.
  • Free classes, résumé creation, Internet and software basics, and job search strategies. Call 816.701.3717 to set up an appointment for a personal consultation with a business librarian to discuss your business, career, or financial concerns.

Women’s Employment Network

The Women’s Employment Network helps women earn a brighter future for themselves, families and our community.
WEN services include:

  • Licensed case management and community referrals
  • Career exploration
  • Job-search assistance
  • Ongoing support for program graduates
  • Financial coaching and training

WEN is a part of the LISC Financial Opportunity Center Network that is improving lives across the country.

Other Local Employment Resources

AVID – 972-591-2550 – Simply, AVID trains educators to use proven practices in order to prepare students for success in high school, college, and a career, especially students traditionally underrepresented in higher education.

Cristo Rey Network – 816-457-6044 – As the largest network of high schools in the United States whose enrollment is limited to low-income youth, the Cristo Rey Network delivers a distinctive approach to inner-city education that equips students with the knowledge, character, and skills to transform their lives. From freshman year, Cristo Rey schools establish a culture of high-expectations by blending rigorous academics, four years of professional work experience, Catholic moral values, and support for students to and through college.

GearUP – 913-432-0435 – The GEAR UP program is a federally funded program (U.S.D.E) designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

Job Corps – 816-921-3366 – Job Corps’ mission is to help young people ages 16 through 24 (soon to have an age cap of 28) improve the quality and satisfaction of their lives through vocational and academic training.

National Math and Science Initiative – 214-346-1200 – NMSI’s College Readiness Program is a comprehensive approach that increases teacher effectiveness and student achievement in rigorous math and science courses through training, teacher and student support, vertical teaming, open enrollment, and incentives.

Teen Life – Access resources to assist with college admissions and prep, gap year programs, community service, tutoring and test prep

Career Exploring – Engage in mentorships and career and life-enhancing opportunities

KU Talent Search – 913-342-9823 – KU TRIO Talent Search offers students and their families a number of services to help in the postsecondary decision making process.

PREP-KC – 816-931-7737 – PREP-KC is improving the education of Kansas City’s urban students by providing resources to prepare all students for college and careers.

Upward Bound-Avila University – 816-501-2400 – Upward Bound is a federally funded program that prepares its participants for college. It serves first generation and/or limited-income students. The Upward Bound (UB) program is designed to foster in its students the skills and motivation necessary for a successful high school career and smooth transition to college.

Employment Resources for For Urban Teens

Green Works – Find job skill training, financial literacy and paid summer internships that prepare students for life after high school

20/20 Leadership – 816-520-0014 – The mission of 20/20 Leadership is to educate and expose students to community issues, teach leadership skills and build community-wide relationships, all of which encourages success in life. Ultimately 20/20 Leadership creates a stronger work force and a more involved community.

Urban Ranger Corps – Learn about a program that prepares inner-city male teens through work experience, service and leadership

Youth Ambassadors – Develop life and soft job skills through creative expression and academic success

Summer Job League – Find workforce placement opportunities for ages 16-24 to earn workplace skill certificates and to connect with area businesses

High Aspirations – Develop personal and life skills, available to African-American young men

Boys Grow – Learn about entrepreneurship in this program for inner-city boys ages 14-16

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