“We can't pay for what you want to do unless we get Montana's economy growing,” Schweitzer told top K-12 and higher education officials. “We can't continue to grow this economy unless you produce the kinds of graduates we need for emerging jobs.”
To further clarify his message, Schweitzer's top staff gave education leaders a presentation on the governor's vision for economic development.
Montana is a good place to do business, and there's plenty of evidence to show there is reason to do more in the state, said Evan Barrett, the governor's chief business development officer.
Montana is the fourth least-costly state in which to do business, has the ninth best tax structure for business, and the 12th lowest state and local tax burden, he said.
However, Montana is also currently ranked 50 out of 51 states for average salaries. Montana residents earn salaries at the bottom of the nation's average wage, are ranked 40 out of 51 in per-capita income, and are ranked third highest in the nation for number of workers with multiple jobs.
To address these rankings, Montana and its educational system must address several major challenges: an aging work force, the job quality gap, the growing demand for workers and the growing demand for workers with specific training, Barrett said.
Montana's population is projected to grow 11.2 percent between 2005 and 2025. However, the state's labor force is expected to only grow by 4.8 percent over the same time period.
In essence, the statistical forecast shows Montana's work force is aging and the state will likely experience a labor shortage in coming years, particularly in the fields of health care, building and technology.
It's imperative that Montana's education system ties into these future job opportunities by developing programs and guiding young people into these fields, Barrett said.
“We are going to have to move ahead and create jobs so people have them ... and stop migration out of Montana in search of higher quality jobs,” Barrett said.
On-the-job training programs, distance learning opportunities for people who live in remote areas of the state, and funding new worker training programs are some solutions Barrett offered, but there will be more if state education agencies, government and the private sector join forces and work together.
Schweitzer took the opportunity to push for developing alternative energy resources, renewable energy and tapping into the state's natural resources as a way to bring more jobs to Montana and invigorate the economy.
While he knows it is a good idea, Schweitzer said he's concern Montana won't have a work force to pull off such technological developments because the state produces so few engineers and scientists compared to other states and nations - and the Montanans who get their training here often go elsewhere for better opportunities.
Of Montana's young adult workers, 35 percent have an associates degree or higher, Barrett said.
“The growing economies of the world are those that win the battle of engineering,” Schweitzer said, emphasizing that the importance of engineers in today's economy is more than a trend - it's the future.
If Montana is to grow, he said, “we have to win this battle of engineering.”
For Montana to be successful in all arenas, Schweitzer said, the key is to keep all eyes on the prize: improve affordability and access to Montana's university system, provide kindergarten for all Montanans, better prepare the youngest Montanans for college and the work force.
“We will continue to challenge,” he said, “and to provide the kind of education system that will be competitive with the rest of the world.”
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