The City of St. Louis Workforce Investment Board (WIB) provides strategic leadership and oversight of the workforce development programs implemented by the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE). These programs assist adults and youth upgrade their basic and occupational skills while helping businesses to connect with job seekers.

The WIB consists of 35 volunteer citizens, who are appointed by Mayor Francis G. Slay. These individuals represent local businesses, public and community-based agencies, and labor organizations.

The WIB's mission is to develop a quality workforce that meets the economic and labor market needs of the region by providing leadership and promoting collaboration between public, private and elected official partners. The WIB Executive Committee meets every other month; consecutively, the entire WIB meets publicly every other month.

The WIB's planning and implementation support both State and Federal workforce development efforts. In order to link qualified job seekers to sustainable careers, the WIB has determined the following as priorities:

• Implementing Recovery Act services and programs
• Business Services
• Job readiness training - Emphasis on adults and youth
• Professional job seeker services - To accommodate special needs of experienced, skilled professional customers
• Skills/Vocational Training and Job Placement
• Connect dislocated workers with transferable skills to business hiring needs
• Youth education and employment - work experience
• Increase community collaboration and involvement