Here’s what is new in the world of Helena business …

December 16, 2023

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Robinson joins Great West

Great West Engineering announces the hiring of Ilene Robinson has joined Great West Engineering as a human resource coordinator in the Helena office.

Robinson has worked in the oil and gas industry for 12 years. Her most recent position was office administrator.

When not at work, Ilene enjoys practicing yoga, long walks, biking, kayaking, reading, and traveling. Her favorite thing is spending time with her two grandchildren, Rance and LuLu.

Helena WINS says program was a hit

Helena WINS, the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce’s workforce program, hosted its first Engineering and Architecture event on Nov. 29, and organizers called it a huge success.

High school students and their parents got a behind-the-scenes airport tour and were able to connect with community builders like Helena Regional Airport, CWG Architecture + Interiors, Morrison-Maierle, Great West Engineering Inc., Montana Department of Environmental Quality Bureau of Engineers, Boeing Helena, WWC Engineering, SMA Architecture + Design, Accelerate Montana, and the Montana Robotics Alliance.

The chamber thanked those who made this event a success.

It was a free opportunity for students to learn, engage, and explore the vast possibilities in engineering and architecture fields. The chamber also thanks those who sponsor the Helena WINS program.

Those interested in collaborating with Helena WINS as an employer or want to learn about what you might have missed the Engineering and Architecture night as a student or parent, contact info@helenachamber.com for more information.

MSU releases manufacturing report

Montana manufacturing continues to be one-fifth of the state’s total economic base, according to a report released by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center at Montana State University.

The 2023 Montana Manufacturing Report provides data about manufacturing, shows the results of surveys given to manufacturers and displays how MMEC’s services provided help the industry. The Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana conducts the annual economic analysis and develops the report. This report marks the 27th year of collaboration between MMEC and BBER.

The report covers the year 2022. According to the report:

• Manufacturing makes up 21% of Montana’s economic base.

• Careers in manufacturing pay about $57,180 in earnings, which is above the state average.

• Manufacturing employs more than 22,500 employees

• Manufacturing accounted for 5.5% of total state earnings at $1.95 billion.

• Manufacturing made up 6.6% of the gross state product at $3.3 billion.

“This year’s report confirms that manufacturing is a robust sector within the Montana economy,” MMEC Director Paddy Fleming said in a news release.

He said they continue to see strong increases in employment and earnings for Montana workers. Moreover, manufacturers are optimistic about starting new businesses here, with the total number of manufacturing firms growing to more than 4,400.

“In particular, there is large growth among companies that produce food and beverages, transportation equipment and advanced technologies such as photonics,” Fleming said

The MMEC is part of MSU’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering and provides services to manufacturing companies across the state to help improve business operations through in-person specialist assistance.

The manufacturing report and those from previous years can be found at montana.edu/mmec/news/reports.

Tribal members sought for PA jobs

The Montana Department of Commerce, in partnership with AccelerateMT, recently granted and enrolled seven more Montana tribal members into the Production Assistant media training and certification program.

The grant is through Commerce’s Office of Indian Country Economic Development (OICED) Tribal Tourism program.

Liane Taylor, administrator of the Business MT Division at the Montana Department of Commerce, said since the partnership with AccelerateMT started in August, 13 tribal citizens have completed the course and are now certified PAs ready to work behind the scenes in film, commercials, live theater and concert productions.

Participants who complete the certification can opt-in to ready-to-work databases managed by AccelerateMT and the Montana Film Office, who respond to production companies seeking local PAs for projects. PAs can also travel out of state with their certifications, expanding their employment opportunities.

The scholarships are exclusively for Montana’s enrolled tribal citizens aged 16 or older. Most scholarship recipients prefer the in-person training method; awardees who take the training course on-line have 60 days to complete it before it expires.

The application period is open now through Feb. 15. Up to five awards per tribe will be granted for a total of 40 awards this round; some awards will be reserved for round four. Scholarship applicants will receive information about upcoming in-person 2024 training dates and locations.

Awardees will be notified Feb. 16.

For more information, email Rachelle Brown, Tribal Tourism Officer at Commerce, or call 406-841-2734.

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