Visits with Rocky Mountain Electric apprentices in Bozeman

Bozeman, MT – Visiting with apprentices at the Rocky Mountain Electric facility in Bozeman, Governor Greg Gianforte on Friday proclaimed this week Apprenticeship Week in Montana to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships in empowering workers and ensuring employers have a highly-skilled workforce.

“Increasing access to apprenticeship opportunities opens the door for more Montanans to acquire in-demand skills and thrive in a good-paying job,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Whether it is a high-school student exploring the trades or an adult reentering the workforce, apprenticeships are helping us meet growing workforce demands.”

As one of more than 650 Montana businesses from across 100 industries partnered with the Montana Department of Labor & Industry’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, Rocky Mountain Electric employs 33 apprentices who receive paid, supervised, on-the-job training.

In Montana, there are more than 1,000 electrician apprenticeships across the state – the most out of all occupations. Currently, there are over 500 active apprenticeships in Gallatin County with the majority as electricians.

In 2022, a record number of new apprentices were added in Montana, surpassing the number for 2018, 2019, and 2020 combined. Many of these were added following a rule change supported by the governor that went into effect that year.

While maintaining workplace safety and training standards, the revised rule changed the journeyman-to-apprentice ratio from 2:1 to 1:2. Now, one journeyman can supervise two apprentices.

During the visit, Rocky Mountain Electric owner Justin Mills said, “Before the ratio change, we were maxed out on apprentices. When we started our business, the ratio was 3 to 1. Now it’s easier to staff and it provides us more opportunities for us to get guys going. We’ve been able to staff our jobs better as a result.”

Listening to stories from apprentices and journeymen, the governor heard from a second-year apprentice, Olivia, on her transition out of her mechanical engineering college studies and into an electrician apprenticeship, “It was a better option for me, to go into less debt and fast tracking your career.”

To meet employers' needs and encourage Montana businesses to enroll in the Registered Apprenticeship Program, the governor proposed and implemented the Montana Trades Education Credit (MTEC) in 2021. This credit offers employers credit for employee education and training. The governor nearly doubled MTEC in 2023.

The governor’s proclamation for Apprenticeship Week can be viewed here and below.

WHEREAS, registered apprenticeships create greater opportunity for more Montanans through paid, supervised, on-the-job training; and

WHEREAS, apprentices earn while they learn, empowering them with the skills needed to thrive in a good-paying Montana job while meeting workforce needs; and

WHEREAS, apprenticeship programs enable employers to develop and train their future workforce while offering career seekers affordable paths to secure good-paying jobs; and

WHEREAS, programs are uniquely able to strengthen Montana's workforce and meet the needs of employers; and

WHEREAS, through the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, over 3,000 Montanans take advantage of apprenticeship opportunities; and

WHEREAS, in 2022, Montana added more apprenticeships to the Registered Apprenticeship Program than ever before;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Greg Gianforte, Governor of the State of Montana, do hereby proclaim November 17-23, 2024

APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

in Montana to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships in empowering Montana workers and ensuring employers have a highly-skilled, highly-qualified workforce.