Montana Department of Labor & Industry

The State Workforce Innovation Board (SWIB) wrapped up a productive Summer Quarterly Meeting this week in Missoula. Over two days, Board Members advanced key priorities like the 406 JOBS Talent Marketplace, discussed challenges and solutions to childcare access, AI in the workforce, and explored strategies to support re-entry and disability employment. Board Members also had the opportunity to tour Felco Industries and RDO Equipment Co., highlighting the importance of Montana’s manufacturing sectors, strong employer partnerships, and industry leadership to address Montana’s workforce needs. A sincere thank you to our board members, presenters, panelists, and partners – including the Governor’s Office; our colleagues at Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Montana Department of Commerce, Montana Department of Corrections and the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education; and employers and workforce leaders across the state who committed a day-and-a-half to be present, in person, and focused on advancing 406 JOBS and the goal of a unified education-workforce pipeline.

Commissioner Sarah Swanson represented Montana at the Federation of Associations of Regulatory Boards Summit, joining leaders of centralized state regulatory agencies from across the country for the group's inaugural national convening. The panel explored the value of centralized agency leadership, workforce shortages, licensure mobility, artificial intelligence and the responsibility regulators have to modernize without losing sight of their first priority: protecting the public. Montana's model adds value by housing occupational licensing within the Department of Labor & Industry - alongside workforce development, employment standards, unemployment insurance, and worker protections - allowing Montana to protect the public, reduce unnecessary barriers, respond to workforce needs, and help qualified professionals practice at the full scope of their education and competency. Thank you to FARB for bring state leaders together to exchange ideas, strengthen collaboration and help shape the future of professional regulation. Photo Credit: Federation of Associations of Regulatory Boards (FARB)

We are proud to share that Commissioner Sarah Swanson has been selected to participate in the inaugural FARB Centralized Regulatory Agency Leaders Circle, a new national forum for executives leading statewide professional licensing and regulatory programs! Commissioner Swanson will join leaders from 12 other states at the 2026 FARB Summit on Regulatory Excellence to share ideas, explore innovative approaches to occupational licensing, and discuss best practices that improve efficiency while protecting the public. Montana’s growing reputation for licensing innovation and regulatory excellence is a core aspect of our commitment to connect Montanans to work and opportunity. Stemming from Gov. Gianforte’s 406 JOBS initiative, Montana Department of Labor & Industry has led the way in tearing down barriers to work, including leading the Governor’s Licensing Reform Task Force, supporting legislation in the 2025 Legislative Session to authorize apprenticeships as a pathway to occupational licenses, and eliminating the red tape and bureaucracy that can slow down time to licensing. MT DLI is excited to share best practices with other states and learn from our colleagues around the country. 406 JOBS is about Zero Barriers to Employment – and we are just getting started! #Montana #406JOBS #OccupationalLicensing #WorkforceDevelopment

Commissioner Sarah Swanson and our staff had a productive and rewarding experience representing Montana at the 13th Annual National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA/CESER) Veterans Conference in Washington, DC! This conference connects dedicated professionals from across the country who support veterans in the workforce. This year's event centered on the theme "Serving Those Who Served," bringing together state workforce agency staff and partner organizations for workshops covering legal issues facing veterans, employment and entrepreneurship, state promising practices, and more. Our team will return with valuable resources, new ideas, and strengthened partnerships that will support our ongoing work - work that directly advances veterans' services as a key priority under Governor Gianforte's 406 JOBS initiative to modernize Montana's workforce and remove barriers to employment. Through collaboration, we can make a difference in serving those who have served! Thank you to those who offered insight and ideas at this conference. #406JOBS #MTJobs #HireAVeteran #MTWorkforce #NASWA #JobServiceMontana

Building a future-ready workforce for the Advanced Manufacturing & Computing is a 406 JOBS priority. Montana is leading the way on photonics, optics, and quantum computing and we are proud to support our industry partners in building out a durable high tech workforce.

Registration is now open for the Montana Arbitration & Labor Relations Conference. Join professionals from across the state for timely, practical sessions on topics like past practice and precedent, workplace conflict and forgiveness, decision-making strategies, and ethics in labor law. Attendees can earn CLE, HR, OPI, and POST credits while connecting with peers and experts in the field. Don’t miss this opportunity to build your knowledge and strengthen your professional network. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/gu57m9Ja

Montana is proud to be named a semifinalist in the U.S. Department of Education’s Connecting Talent to Opportunity (CTO) Challenge. This national recognition highlights the work underway through our 406 JOBS initiative to strengthen connections between education, workforce training, and employment across the state! We’re building innovative pathways that help Montanans develop in-demand skills and connect with meaningful career opportunities - while helping employers find the talent they need to grow. Click here for more: https://bit.ly/3RZjzwc #406JOBS #MontanaJobs #Apprenticeships See less

Join us tomorrow as Commissioner Sarah Swanson represents Montana in a U.S. Department of Labor webinar on AI literacy and workforce training. June 3 at 2 p.m. ET | Register: https://lnkd.in/e-pNKnrY

Join us for an engaging conversation with work disability prevention expert Jason Parker as we rethink how we support injured workers on their journey back to work. Jason will share a practical, worker‑centric framework that helps employers, insurers, and HR teams transform the injured worker experience and improve return‑to‑work outcomes. Register today, multiple days available! https://lnkd.in/g_YTydUy

Celebrate National Apprenticeship Week by exploring how Montana is building real pathways to careers through Registered Apprenticeships! “Through the 406 JOBS initiative, we are breaking down silos so Montanans can move smoothly from the classroom or training site into high-demand, good-paying careers. That is what a real talent strategy looks like – practical, employer-led, and focused on results. …Today, more than 3,400 apprentices are working and learning across 65 high-demand occupations in Montana, and nearly half of these apprentices are over age 24. These are parents changing careers, mid-career workers upskilling, and Montanans who simply needed a clear path to a better job.” Read Commissioner Sarah Swanson’s full op-ed to see how the 406 JOBS initiative is connecting education, training, and opportunity across our state. Click here: https://shorturl.at/SAXjb