SCCD brings workforce initiative to Sanders Co.

As Sanders County Community Development (SCCD) continues its work in supporting small businesses, the organization has coordinated with Accelerate Montana and the state’s new Rapid Workforce Training Program to reach out to Sanders County business owners and organizations who have an interest in Montana’s workforce system.

In February, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced a $6 million investment to develop Montana’s workforce over the next two years. The state’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Commission approved the funding that will be issued by the Department of Labor and Industry. Accelerate Montana will use these funds to help Montanans gain access to short-term training programs to address the state’s shortage in workforce needs.

“Every economic status report generated for the state and for our county shows the same thing, Sanders County has a serious labor market issue,” said SCCD executive director Ray Brown. “Of course, I don’t need quarterly reports for me to know this. Just walk up and down Main Street and you can see the effects on our small businesses. Doors closed that would normally be open and handwritten signs stating, ‘due to unforeseen events.’”

Accelerate Montana has been tasked with organizing an effort to work with individuals and organizations across Montana to either develop or adapt training programs that will meet the needs of the employer and the employee. At the end of March, a small group of Sanders County residents attended a Rapid Workforce Training meeting at the Elks Lodge in Thompson Falls to learn more about the new initiative and whether or not what is being offered can be utilized in Sanders County.

“We are here to listen to you and get a sense of what you need for a workforce in and around Thompson Falls,” said Michael Braun, Director of Employer Partnerships for Accelerate Montana. The main caveat of the Rapid Training Program is to develop any additional training to help meet the needs for entry-level workforce and to develop programs with a duration of less than six months that could aid in making the program’s training accessible in Thompson Falls, whether those courses be in person or online.

Both Braun and Paul Gladen, Director of Accelerate Montana, spoke with community members at the Elks. They called this initial meeting a collaborative and creative process aimed at finding the needs in the county. The Rapid Training Program will be funded for the next two calendar years and Accelerate Montana will work with employers to deploy funds in an effective way.

Joel Collett, owner of Stud’s Building and Home in Plains and Thompson Falls, was in attendance looking for solutions that will give his existing employees training opportunities that will lead to a higher living wage. Collett said for his business, retention is the biggest factor, more so than wages.

Accelerate Montana plans to seek technical assistance from SCCD and Montana Job Service in order to create a fluid, working relationship. Braun says the state is at a tipping point for those who are experiencing the workforce shortage. They will work to create a fluid and flexible way to approach the shortage while at the same time work to give employees experience and flexibility in the job.

“The meeting was extremely valuable in confirming there are workforce development needs in Sanders County that the Accelerate Montana Rapid Training Program can help address,” Gladen said. “We’ll continue to work with Ray and other community leaders to develop and deliver employer responsive training. We would encourage interested employers to contact Ray and the Accelerate Montana team to discuss how we can support their specific workforce training needs.” For more information, call SCCD at (406) 827-6935.