Exhibit Associates – Kansas City Trade Show Success Story

Kansas City business Exhibit Associates has been partnering with Local Education Agency Metropolitan Community College (MCC) for essential cross training needs since 2017. The company builds custom displays that are used in trade shows, museums, and corporations all around the world, including the exhibits at the Black Achieves building located in Kansas City’s  18^th and Vine district and inside Union Station within Union Station Stories in Mezzanine levels 2 and 3. They are also responsible for creating the Negro Leagues’ nationwide traveling exhibit celebrating Jackie Robinson and the 16 other MLB Barrier Breakers.

According to owner Amy Jalbert, the need to cross train their employees became clear when they were working to meet demand. “If one person was out, no one else knew how to do their job. We knew we needed to do something,” said Jalbert. The company was able to work directly with trainers from MCC in their facility to create customized training plans as well as manuals that quickly upskilled their employees. In return, this increased company productivity, ensuring Exhibit Associates’ ability to keep up with customer demand. Metropolitan Community College was also able to provide critical safety trainings to employees. “In our line of work, safety is crucial. I sent one of my employees to forklift training from the Carpenters Regional Council and he was able to share what he learned with my other employees,” she noted. Amy also shared that with training partnership she was able to explore blueprinting training. By completing this essential training, Exhibit Associates expanded the services they were able to offer to their clients, allowing them to bid on over $500,000 worth of new business that would have previously been out of reach for the company.

MCC has been working with Missouri One Start and the Department of Economic Development’s recruitment and training programs since 1987.