Employers are increasingly turning toward workers with real-world experience over bachelor's degrees, according to a new report by Team KC.

Why it matters: The report paints an alternative path to success for those entering the workforce or looking to change careers, as tech and skilled trades work explodes, the cost of college remains a barrier to higher education, and borrowers struggle with student loans.

The big picture: Companies are facing a labor shortage, and young workers are facing a tough employment market.

• Meanwhile, vocational training enrollment is rising nationwide as Gen Z workers turn toward trades.
• JPMorgan Chase in December recommended policymakers invest in apprenticeship and skilled-work programs to connect job seekers with industries in need.

Zoom in: About half of KC's workforce is skilled through alternative routes, Danielle Hilton, director of talent acquisition and retention organization Team KC, tells Axios.

• The KC metro has more than 1.2 million people in its labor force, with major growth over the past five years across multiple manufacturing sectors.

What they're saying: "What you're seeing is employers choosing individuals with life skills and with real-world learning experience over someone coming straight out of the classroom," Torree Pederson, president and CEO of education nonprofit Aligned, tells Axios.

• "Skills-first hiring opens the door for people to upskill, reskill and grow professionally," Hilton says.

State of play: Pederson points to Prep KC and Real World Learning as local examples of workforce pipelines placing high school graduates on alternative job paths.

• And Hilton says she's seeing colleges and universities expanding non-credit programs, certificates and industry partnerships.

Between the lines: AI is eliminating some entry-level hard-skills jobs, Pederson says.

• Employers are putting a premium on critical thinking, problem-solving and soft skills, even as more screens have reduced people's communication skills.

The bottom line: Team KC recommends employers take a look at their job descriptions and hiring pipelines if they want to capitalize on this skills-based shift.

Whiteman Air Force Base, the only operational home of the Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, launched aircraft used in recent U.S. strikes on Iran and is now slated to host the next-generation B-21 Raider.

Why it matters: Whiteman, about 70 miles southeast of Kansas City, is integral to the nation's stealth bomber missions as Congress invests billions to transition from the B-2 to the B-21.

Driving the news: U.S. Central Command confirmed B-2 stealth bombers were among the aircraft used in recent strikes on Iran, with Air Force Gen. Dan Caine saying the bombers flew a 37-hour round-trip mission from the continental United States to hit hardened targets.

Follow the money: In January, the Senate passed a government funding bill that includes $1.92 billion for the B-21 Raider, which Sen. Eric Schmitt's office says will be based at Whiteman.

• The Air Force has said the B-21 is intended to replace aging bombers, including the B-2, over time.

What they're saying: "The B-21 is foundational to our long-range strike capability," Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a Feb. 23 release announcing a 25% increase in production capacity for the bomber.

Flashback: Last year, seven Whiteman-based B-2s led a strike on Iranian nuclear sites, flying about 37 hours round-trip with midair refueling support.

What's next: The first operational B-21 is expected in 2027 and a gradual replacement of older bombers is planned in the years that follow.

From the Crossroads to Overland Park, Women's History Month brings a full slate of events across the Kansas City metro this March. Here's what to check out.

🍽️ MUSE: A Soirée for Women

Rose Productions KC brings together women chefs, beverage professionals and artists in the Crossroads for a tasting event benefiting Girls on the Run KC.

Stop by: The soirée is on Sunday at The Guild KC ($125).

📚 Redefining Sarah Rector

The Kansas City Public Library is hosting a Women's History Month program throughout March, during which they will dig into the life of Sarah Rector, once known as the richest Black woman in America.

Stop by: The program is Sunday at the Central Library.

🎨 Women Painters Through the Centuries

Mid-Continent Public Library will present an online art history program highlighting women painters from the 17th century through modern icons, including American painter Georgia O'Keeffe.

Stop by: The Zoom lecture is March 24. Registration is required.

More events this month

🪧 Kansas Republicans want to fine schools that enable student protests without written parental permission after several walk-out demonstrations in Olathe. The Senate state budget amendment passed despite nine Republicans voting in opposition. (Kansas City Star)

🎢 Six Flags sold Worlds of Fun to KC-based EPR Properties as part of a seven-park downsizing. The change of hands won't affect operations, tickets or memberships through 2026, Six Flags says. (Press release)

🧠 KCK's new mental health center at 1211 North 8th Street will open Monday, providing outpatient, psychiatric and substance abuse services. (KCUR)

Women-owned café Hemma Hemma opened its new Hemma Hemma Dinette at 11th and Main yesterday, so naturally, I had to check it out.

What to try: I got the Buddha bowl with grilled salmon and an Americano with a splash of almond milk.

• The roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, cabbage slaw and grains make it hearty without feeling heavy, and the salmon was cooked just right.
• It's the kind of lunch that still makes you feel productive afterward, not sleepy.

💭 Abbey's thought bubble: Downtown needs more weekday lunch spots. This one feels like it could become a regular rotation for office workers and streetcar riders alike.