Automation is quietly but steadily transforming the job landscape across Missouri – from advanced manufacturing plants in suburban South County to sheltered workshops in rural communities.
While much of the national debate focuses on whether robots will take people’s jobs, the reality in Missouri is more complex: some roles are being displaced, but others are being created, and entire industries are being reshaped.
Job displacement is real, but so is evolution
According to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, up to 60 percent of jobs in the region are at risk of being affected by automation, particularly those involving routine, manual tasks. Workers in transportation, production, food preparation, and even some clerical occupations are increasingly vulnerable as employers adopt technologies that promise efficiency and cost savings.
However, this does not mean all these jobs will disappear. The study points out that the nature of work is changing more than it is vanishing. Automation may reduce demand for repetitive tasks but often increases the need for workers to supervise, maintain, or program machines. This shift requires a different set of skills – ones that many Missouri workers are now beginning to acquire.
Automation in action: from St. Louis to Fair Play
In South St. Louis, grain company Italgrani USA has dramatically increased production capacity by investing in automation. While headcount hasn’t grown as quickly as output, the company says it has been able to meet labor shortages and increase efficiency without large-scale layoffs.
In the town of Fair Play, Innovative Engineered Products is expanding its workforce specifically to support its growing automation division. Far from replacing workers, the company is hiring technicians and engineers to implement and manage robotic systems for clients across the Midwest.
Meanwhile, in Jefferson County and beyond, a new generation of service robots is entering food and hospitality settings. Pilot programs in Missouri fast-food restaurants are showing that robots can support human workers rather than replace them.
For example, collaborative robots are being used to prepare ingredients or assist with dishwashing, freeing up staff to focus on customer service.
Supporting workers through the transition
To keep up with this industrial evolution, workforce development initiatives are under way across the state. At Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield, the Center for Workforce Development now offers certification programs focused on automation technologies, robotics, and industrial maintenance.
These programs are designed not just for new students, but also for experienced workers seeking to reskill.
Beyond formal education, several nonprofits and private companies are developing pathways for underserved populations. St. Louis-based NOCTechnology, for example, is piloting the use of AI and automation tools in Missouri’s sheltered workshops – facilities that provide employment for people with disabilities.
The initiative aims to empower workers with cognitive tools and robotic assistance, enabling them to perform more advanced tasks and become more competitive in the job market.
A regional snapshot
In the St. Louis area, demand for tech-driven jobs – including robotics technicians, IT support, and logistics analysts – grew by 1.5 percent in 2024, according to local employment data. While modest, this growth suggests a broader pivot toward technologically advanced roles.
Kansas City, on the other hand, faces a steeper challenge. A 2024 report from Brookings found that 10.2% of workers in the Kansas City metro area are at high risk of being displaced by AI and automation – one of the highest rates in the country. However, city officials say that risk also creates an opportunity to retrain workers and attract new tech industries.
The road ahead
Automation is not a distant threat – it is already under way in Missouri. For some, it means adapting to new roles. For others, it opens up entirely new career paths. Either way, the state is approaching a turning point.
If policymakers, employers, and educators continue to invest in training and infrastructure, Missouri could become a model for how regions adapt to automation – not by resisting it, but by reshaping the workforce to thrive alongside it.
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