Governor Steve Bullock today released the 2020 Montana Registered Apprenticeship Data
Report during a visit to the Missoula College Carpentry Shop to highlight how
apprenticeship has consistently played a significant role in the Montana
economy and continues to be essential as the state recovers from the impacts of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Apprenticeship
has long been integral to Montana’s workforce development and continues to be
an innovative way to meet the emerging needs in the state’s economy for both
workers and businesses as we work toward economic recovery,”
“At the Missoula College, apprentices can pursue in demand careers like carpentry and other growing fields to find a good paying job and supply
businesses with talented and trained workers they need to stabilize and
eventually expand their business.”
“At Missoula College we provide our students with a hands-on learning experience so that they can develop the skills needed to immediately succeed in the workforce
and meet the growing labor demands in our state,”
“Through our apprenticeship programs, we connect
ambitious students directly with local employers – allowing them to earn while
they learn.”
Governor Bullock was joined by carpentry, welding, machining, heavy equipment operations
and diesel technology students at the Missoula College’s West Campus. Missoula
College provides technical instruction for a variety of apprenticeships
including carpentry, , information technology, accounting, medical technician
and medical claims processing. Next semester, the college will begin offering a
new construction preparedness program, created with the assistance of a DLI
Apprenticeship Incentive Grant of $4,500.
The report shows apprenticeship has contributed significantly to the economic
success of Montana workers and continues to expand during the COVID-19
pandemic. The Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program is on track to finish
2020 with an increased number of active apprentices and sponsors compared to
2019. Apprenticeships also contribute to the success of Montana’s workers. A
year after graduation, apprentices earn an average wage of $58,086, nearly
$11,600 higher than the statewide average wage.
Construction-related trades, which include carpentry, make up the greatest share of apprenticeships overall. Of those in construction, 34 percent of apprentices are in programs
for electricians and 21 percent for plumbing.
Additional highlights from the 2020 apprenticeship report include:
- Apprenticeship continues to gain popularity, with the total number increasing by an average of 13 percent each year from 2013 to 2019. In 2019, 2,632 apprentices were participating in programs. Through September 30, 2020, there have been 2,458 apprentices participating.
- Apprenticeships
help retain skilled workers in Montana. Approximately 84 percent of
apprentices who graduated before 2015 were still working for a Montana
employer five years later.
- Since
2000, 54 out of Montana’s 56 counties have had at least one apprenticeship
participant.
- Some
of the fastest-growing apprenticeship opportunities are in the healthcare
field. From 2015 to 2019, certified nursing assistants have had the
highest growth in apprenticeships, while medical coding ranks sixth and
medical assistants rank tenth.
- The
number of active sponsors has increased by approximately 8.5 percent per
year in the last five years. About 650 sponsors had an active apprentice
in 2019, and through September 30, 2020, there are about 640 active
sponsors.
- The
share of women in apprenticeships has increased over the past five years,
from 4.4 percent in 2015 to 21.3 percent in 2019.
- Through
the apprenticeship tax credit passed by Governor Bullock in 2017, 314
businesses were eligible to claim the tax credit for 1,000 apprentices in
2019. The combined tax credits available for all eligible employers was
$807,000 in 2019.
To learn more about the Montana Registered
Apprenticeship program, visit
apprenticeship.mt.gov. The 2020 Registered
Apprenticeship Program Data Report is available here:
lmi.mt.gov/Portals/193/Publications/LMI-Pubs/Special
Reports and Studies/Apprenticeship-Data-Report-2020.pdf