KALISPELL - Governor Greg Gianforte met with educators, business leaders and students Wednesday afternoon for a roundtable discussion at Flathead High School.
A part of the discussion focused on in-demand skills and how students can be more prepared coming out of high school.
Gov. Gianforte discussed how important work-based learning opportunities are for students across Montana.
“It could be operating heavy equipment, it could be trailing a lawyer, it could be working for an architect, we heard all of those stories today,” Gov. Gianforte said.
Gov. Gianforte also talked about the importance of integrating work-based learning with the classroom experience and how that gives Montana students a boost after graduating high school.
“Sometimes they learn they love it, and they pursue it, sometimes they learn maybe it’s not right for them and it allows them to make the decision earlier, so they don’t spend two or four years pursuing a degree only to find out after graduation that it wasn’t right," said Gov. Gianforte.
Business leaders have partnered with schools in Flathead County to provide those real-life working opportunities for students.
General contractor Swank Enterprises Project Manager R.G. Dickey said the apprenticeship program leads to jobs right out of high school.
“It’s a win-win for everybody, the kids benefit, the schools benefit between Flathead, Glacier and the other local high schools, Columbia Falls, and the community college benefits, the employer benefits, it’s a win-win for the entire community,” said Dickey.
“It’s like building that teaching force, multiplying it out a hundred-fold, and so that’s been exciting,” added Flathead High School Principal Michele Paine.
Paine said the personalized internships help her students think outside the classroom.
“But what I’ve learned is that our community has such talents and passion for helping our kids, and they have perspectives and experiences that they can share that we don’t have ourselves,” said Paine.
She hopes more businesses continue to partner with Flathead schools, providing every student with a unique experience.
“You do it one kid at a time and one matchup at a time, you match one kid with one business, and you know you see where that goes and then you go on to the next kid,” said Paine.
