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Montana expands apprenticeships and retraining after Stillwater Mine layoffs; department seeks WIOA alignment
Summary
The Department of Labor and Industry highlighted growth in registered apprenticeship, incumbent worker training and recent federal dislocated-worker grants — including $3.8 million for Stillwater Mine workers — and urged alignment of WIOA adult-education funding to the department to expand access to HiSET testing and services.
Dr. Sewell, representing the Department of Labor and Industry's Workforce Services Division, gave the subcommittee a program-level briefing that stressed registered apprenticeship growth, targeted retraining grants and rapid response work after major layoffs.
Registered apprenticeship: “We think it's the best kept secret in Montana's workforce arsenal,” Commissioner Sarah Swanson said, describing the state program. The department reported that Montana has registered apprenticeship activity in most counties, trained thousands of apprentices and that apprenticeship completers have average earnings well above statewide averages. The department told legislators the average wage for apprenticeship completers was about $69,000 and the program was training several thousand workers in high-demand occupations going into the year.
Retraining and dislocated-worker response: the department described several federal grants the agency won after major employer layoffs. Officials said Montana received about $980,000 in a dislocated-worker grant to support timber-industry workers affected by layoffs at Pyramid and Roseburg, and roughly $3,800,000 in retraining funds awarded for the Stillwater Mine layoffs. Commissioner Swanson said the Stillwater grant can fund retraining, relocation to other mines, and supportive services for spouses and family members. “We are supporting right now about 140 of those workers through various workforce programs,” Swanson told the committee.
Incumbent worker and rapid-response programs: the department described an incumbent worker training grant program that reimburses employers (50% match) for training costs up to $2,500 per worker; in 2024 the program awarded training dollars to 282 individuals at 103 small businesses at an average investment of $1,589 per worker. Rapid-response and RESEA (Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment) funding were described as central tools to reduce weeks claimed and to speed re-employment.
WIOA and adult education alignment: the department reiterated a policy proposal to move the WIOA adult-education (Title II) component from the Office of Public Instruction to the Department of Labor to align services and broaden access to HiSET testing through job-service offices and colleges. Agency staff said that move would allow the state to match federal adult-education funds with ESA state special revenue rather than relying on general fund appropriations to OPI.
Pathways and program delivery: DLI staff described a subcontract relationship with the Pathways vendor (Maximus) and said the department is piloting an approximately $1,000,000-per-year subcontract to provide job developers who will cultivate employer work pipelines for Pathways clients.
Ending: The subcommittee heard requests to continue joint planning among workforce partners, to monitor outcomes from the dislocated-worker grants and evaluate whether changes to state WIOA plan and adult-education administration increase testing availability and training access in rural and tribal communities.
