Governor Gianforte Signs Executive Order To Strengthen Montana’s Workforce

Launches 406 JOBS initiative

• August 11 2025

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today launched 406 JOBS, an initiative led by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry’s (DLI) State Workforce Innovation Board (SWIB), to meet national education and workforce development goals established by President Donald J. Trump.

In April, President Trump issued two executive orders instructing federal agencies to implement workforce development initiatives to prepare Americans for skilled trade jobs and to advance artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The 406 JOBS framework aligns with federal policy and modernizes Montana’s workforce system.

“406 JOBS will work across the public and private sector to promote career, college, military, and entrepreneurship pathways for Montanans to strengthen our workforce and prepare the next generation,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We’re following President Trump’s lead to Make America Skilled Again and opening the door to greater opportunities for all Montanans to reach their full, outstanding potential.”

Gov. Gianforte announces 406 JOBS at Boeing’s Helena facility

Signing Executive Order 5-2025, Gov. Gianforte designated SWIB to implement the 406 JOBS initiative as the unifying framework for the state workforce system.

406 JOBS stands for Four Pathways to Employment, Zero Barriers to Work, and Six High Demand Sectors. Those sectors include health care, construction, hospitality and recreation, advanced manufacturing and computing, education and child care, and financial and professional services.

Earlier this year, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14278 to “Make America Skilled Again,” by fully equipping workers and streamlining workforce development programs. Last week, The U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $30 million in grants with awards available up to $8 million for state workforce agencies to address critical workforce needs.

The governor today held a press conference at the Boeing facility in Helena with DLI Commissioner Sarah Swanson, SWIB Board Member and Executive Director of the Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance Jason Yager, and Boeing Helena Director Kevin Poulin to introduce the new initiative.

“406 JOBS is designed to ensure that every Montanan has a plan for a career and a pathway to achieve it. We need to grow our labor force and tear down barriers to employment. Just last week, DLI released a new report, showing that more than 100,000 working age Montanans are not employed and not seeking work. Through 406 JOBS, we have an opportunity to reconnect people from all parts of the state to meaningful work,” Commissioner Swanson said.

“Montana is ideally situated to transform our workforce and drive continued economic growth in the state. We are hearing almost daily from companies in the technology and advanced manufacturing sectors looking to come to Montana,” Yager said. “SWIB is dedicated to reforming our workforce system to be ready for those opportunities, to prepare people for the future, and to bridge the labor gaps in high-demand sectors across the state.”

“Boeing is deeply invested in Montana,” Poulin said. “Workforce initiatives like 406 JOBS will have a wide-reaching impact beyond just one company or site. We know that the partnerships between industry, government, and community groups are essential to building a strong and capable workplace.”

The order also directs DLI to expand AI training opportunities, support educators in including AI-readiness in career programs in the K-12 system, use AI tools to support job seekers, and use public-private partnerships to accelerate AI technology adoption.

In partnership with the Montana Legislature, Gov. Gianforte this year signed into law a number of reforms to modernize Montana’s state workforce and education systems.

Signing into law House Bill 449, House Bill 656, and House Bill 823, the governor overhauled outdated structures and strengthened access to training resources across state programs to ensure Montana students receive education and training that prepare them well for in-demand careers.

“Montana’s workforce and education partners anticipated the direction of federal policy and took early, decisive action to align our systems and better serve students, jobseekers, and employers. We are leading with a bold vision of zero barriers to employment in the state of Montana,” Commissioner Swanson said of the reforms.

Increasing access to education and workforce training is a top priority for Gov. Gianforte. In his first year in office, the governor increased apprenticeship opportunities by changing the journeyman-to-apprentice ratio from 2:1 to 1:2. Now, one journeyman can supervise two apprentices.

This rule change has led to a record number of apprentices working in Montana. In 2024, more than 680 Montana businesses offered apprenticeships to train workers resulting in over 3,150 Montanans enrolled in active apprenticeships, a 25% increase over the five years prior. Building on that success, Gov. Gianforte signed House Bill 336 into law this year which allows apprenticeship as a pathway to occupational licensing for more than 30 professions in Montana.

In July, Gov. Gianforte launched the state’s first registered teacher apprenticeship program to get more highly skilled and highly qualified teachers into Montana classrooms. This year, the governor secured a historic $100 million to raise teacher pay, with a focus on educators who are just starting their careers.

In his first week in office, Gov. Gianforte introduced the TEACH Act, or Tomorrow’s Educators Are Coming Home Act, to provide incentives to school districts to increase starting teacher pay. In its first year, the TEACH Act helped nearly 500 teachers begin their careers in Montana. In 2023, the governor increased funding for the program by 40 percent.

Strengthening Montana’s workforce and expanding opportunities for students through career and technical education (CTE) are also top priorities for the governor. This fall, under the newly enacted STARS Act, DLI will establish a statewide database of industry recognized credentials that high school students can earn for credit. Schools will receive incentive payments based on the number of students attaining industry recognized credentials or dual enrollment credits. 

According to data from 2023, a record number of Montana high school students received college credit in a CTE program. Data released by Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education revealed that over 3,300 high school students received college credit for CTE in 2023, an increase of more than 600 students from 2022.

As designated in the new executive order, SWIB is expected to deliver a implementation plan in 90 days to examine existing agency workforce initiatives and establish annual reporting mechanisms.

View Gov. Gianforte’s executive order here.

The governor’s press conference may be viewed here.