Interested in narrowing the skills gap? Wondering how to promote your industry in Montana’s education sector? SkillsUSA Montana is the bridge between you and Montana’s classrooms! Who are we? SkillsUSA Montana is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure Montana has a skilled workforce. For more information, please contact: Mary Heller, State Director SkillsUSA Montana mary.heller@skillsusamontana.org 406-399-0640 To learn more: www.skillsusa.org SkillsUSA Montana: Working with industry to grow tomorrow’s quality workforce. SkillsUSA Framework Personal Skills Workplace Skills Technical Skills Grounded in Academics SkillsUSA has am impact on the lives of America’s future workforce through the development of personal, workplace and technical skills that are grounded in academics. • Computer and Technology Literacy • Job Specific Skills • Safety and Health • ServiceOrientation • Professional Development • Communication • DecisionMaking • Teamwork • Multicultural Sensitivity and Awareness • Planning, Organizing andManagement • Leadership • Integrity • Work Ethic • Professionalism • Responsibility • Adaptability/Flexibility • Self-Motivation Interest from the industry in what SkillsUSA is doing has increased because people know students with mechanical and leadership skills become a future quality workforce. Montana has 524 members, the biggest number since 2016, and 254 of them — almost half — attended the state conference. Mary wants dealerships to offer internships or scholarships to students so they can gain experience in the dealership industry before they graduate. “We want dealers to let students job shadow or hire as students get older and can work more,” said Mary. “For example, Capital High School in Helena has a very active automotive and SkillsUSA program. They had a young man who loved to work on cars. He was a senior in 2020 when COVID-19 hit, but he had already started working with Helena Motors on weekends. He graduated from high school and started full-time the next week as a technician. Now that’s a success story!” “SkillsUSA Montana is an excellent way for the dealership industry to connect with a quality future workforce in the K-12 education sector,” said Mary. “The automotive industry needs to do some marketing and tell their story the same way universities did in the 1970s. This industry has amazing opportunities, and people don’t know about them. It’s not just working as a mechanic. Dealerships also need people to work in financing and sales. Together, we can teach young people about the various careers and help them get the training they need.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 If you want to establish an internship or scholarship, your local school doesn’t have a chapter, or you want to learn more about Ski l lsUSA, please contact Mary Hel ler. Her cel lphone number is 406-399-0640. You may also contact Bruce Knudsen at MTADA. He has been offering smal l annual scholarships to students who want to go to a trade school. The following photos are from our 2022 State Conference held in April in Helena, Montana. Interest from the industry in what SkillsUSA is doing has increased because people know students with mechanical and leadership skills become a future quality workforce. 32
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