Montanans at Work statewide tour comes to Libby

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry’s Montanans at Work statewide tour will be in Libby Wednesday and Thursday to offer a unique opportunity for local employers, workforce professionals and community members to connect with department experts and resources as part of Gov. Greg Gianforte’s 406 JOBS initiative.

“Through 406 JOBS, the State of Montana is working across public and private sectors to strengthen our workforce and prepare the next generation for success,” Gov. Gianforte said. “The ‘Montanans at Work’ Tour will be a great opportunity for businesses, workers, and community members to engage with DLI as it begins implementing 406 JOBS. I encourage Montanans to attend and provide their thoughts as we shape the future of Montana’s workforce.”

The event in Libby will be held at the VFW Post 1548.

Each day-and-a-half event begins at 9 a.m. and is free and open to the public. Day 1 – Registration opens at 8:30 a.m., program begins at 9 a.m. Day 2 – Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., program begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at – 11:30 a.m.

Details and agenda are available at dli.mt.gov. Attendees are encouraged to register on-line in advance. For more information, or to register for the event, visit the Montanans at Work tour website.

The Montanans at Work tour will bring Labor and Industry staff and professionals to 15 communities across the state, where they’ll engage with local businesses, educators, workforce partners and stakeholders to showcase the department’s latest programs and initiatives.

“These events are an exciting opportunity to connect directly with Montanans and share valuable insights, discuss new initiatives,” DLI Commissioner Sarah Swanson said. “We want to hear from business owners, workers, educators and workforce partners as we implement a number of exciting new changes at the Department of Labor & Industry.”

The tour will highlight the 406 JOBS initiative — a comprehensive workforce development framework aimed at modernizing Montana’s workforce system and ensuring every Montanan has a pathway to a career and a plan to achieve it. 

406 JOBS focuses on Four Pathways to Work, Zero Barriers to Employment, and Six High-Demand Sectors. During the tour, stakeholders will provide input into specific components of 406 JOBS, ensuring the initiative is community-driven and industry-led.

In addition to showcasing 406 JOBS, the tour will also provide an overview variety of DLI services, including occupational licensing changes, new registered apprenticeship pathways, state building code updates, STARS Act implementation with respect to funding for students to earn industry recognized credentials while in high school, the newly established Office of Reentry Programs, and changes to workers compensation provisions and unemployment insurance programs.

Each day-and-a-half event begins at 9 a.m. and is free and open to the public. Details and agenda are available at dli.mt.gov. Attendees are encouraged to register on-line in advance. For more information, or to register for the event, visit the Montanans at Work tour website.