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For Immediate Release:
Sept. 4, 2026
Media Contact:
Lisa Cox
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Media Inquiry Form
Nominations for multiple awards now being accepted
JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Missouri’s “Outstanding Older Worker of the Year” award program seeks to honor a Missouri resident who is 55 or older, employed at least 20 hours a week, and displays dependability and new skills on the job. Nominations are currently being accepted. The winner will be recognized at a ceremony at the State Capitol in Jefferson City in October.
In addition to selecting Missouri’s Outstanding Older Worker of the Year, awards will be presented for the Participant and Host Agency of the Year for the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
Missouri’s Senior Community Service Employment Program recognizes the value of older workers in our workforce and provides job training for individuals aged 55 or older who wish to enter or reenter the workforce but need a little extra training to do so. The purpose of the program is to provide job skill training for the participants and to provide needed support to community host agencies, which consist of not-for-profit 501(c)(3) or governmental agencies. Host agencies benefit from having someone who is subsidized by the SCSEP program, helping them fill positions they could not afford to pay for on their own.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employers rate older workers high on characteristics such as judgment, commitment to quality, attendance and punctuality.
“The fastest growing segment of the workforce is workers 75 and older, with workers 65 to 74 coming in second,” said Kristin Davis, the State of Missouri’s Senior Community Service Employment Program Director. “Older workers often demonstrate a strong work ethic and reliability in addition to providing opportunities for mentorship and sharing industry knowledge. In an age where adaptability is key, older workers also showcase resilience, having navigated various changes in their careers and learned to embrace new technologies and methodologies.”
Nominations are being accepted through Sept. 25, 2026, for the “Outstanding Older Worker of the Year.” Submissions should include a narrative description of why the individual should be chosen as the Outstanding Older Worker of the Year. Completed entry forms can be emailed to SCSEPEmployment@health.mo.gov or mailed to Missouri Outstanding Older Worker Contest, Bureau of Senior Programs, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570.
Senior Community Service Employment Program
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a U.S. Department of Labor funded job training program for persons 55 years of age and older who wish to enter the workforce and need extra training and job placement assistance. The purpose of the program is two-fold; to provide job skill training for the participants and to provide needed support to community host agencies, which consist of not-for-profit 501(c)(3)’s or governmental agencies. Host agencies benefit by having someone who is subsidized by the SCSEP program helping them fill positions they could not afford to pay for on their own. Individuals interested in learning more about obtaining a paid training assignment and 501(c)(3) or governmental agencies interested in serving as a host agency may contact the department for more information at 573-526-4542 or visit Missouri’s Senior Community Service Employment Program webpage.
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