Montana DLI, Chippewa Cree Tribe Partner to Connect Workers and Employers

• October 10 2025

TERO Event Highlights Job Opportunities and Services for Tribal Employment

Box Elder, Mont. (Oct. 9, 2025) – Continuing its commitment to tearing down barriers to employment for all Montanans, the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (MT DLI) co-hosted yesterday a Chippewa Cree Tribal Hiring Event, featuring 23 local employers and an estimated 96 attendees seeking training and work opportunities.

“Events like the Chippewa Cree Hiring Event show what happens when we bring opportunities directly to rural communities,” said Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor & Industry. “When local employers, community leaders, and state partners come together, we don’t just fill jobs, we strengthen families, businesses, and the future of Montana’s workforce.”

In addition to employers, the Hiring Event included USDA’s Job Corps program, Vocational Rehabilitation, organized labor apprenticeship training programs, and area middle and high schools. Attendees learned about employment opportunities within tribal agencies and private employers, and also received information about apprenticeships in the construction trades. The event was hosted by the Chippewa Cree Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), 477 Empowering Families, and MT DLI.

“We’re working together and knocking down walls in our communities, regions, and state,” said Chippewa Cree TERO Director Gibby Russette. “We want to bring more to northcentral Montana. These events change stereotypical thinking, and we all can work better together to find careers that help our communities.”

The Hiring Event continues the momentum of Governor Greg Gianforte’s 406 JOBS Initiative, announced in August 2025. 406 JOBS is dedicated to ensuring that every Montanan has a pathway to a career and a plan to achieve it. 

The Initiative focuses on tearing down barriers to employment and addressing chronic labor shortages in key industries: construction trades, heath careers, education/childcare, advanced manufacturing, hospitality & recreation, and professional & financial services. Earlier this year, MT DLI cohosted the 2025 Aaniiih Nakoda Workforce Expo, a similar event in Fort Belknap, Montana with 444 students along Montana’s Hi-Line in attendance.

“MT DLI’s Office of the Tribal Liaison is laser-focused on extending education, training, and employment opportunities into tribal communities. The 406 JOBS initiative is for all Montanans, including rural and tribal workers,” said Swanson. 

MT DLI is currently travelling across the state with the Montanans at Work tour, seeking stakeholder input in a variety of new workforce development and industry-focused programs. The Tour will be in Lewistown on Oct. 15, and continue across the state through Oct. 30, including stops in Wolf Point, Havre, and Cut Bank. Full event details are available at on the Montana Department of Labor and Industry website.