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With record low unemployment
and an aging workforce in Helena, it’s never been more challenging to attract, develop, and retain talent. As the community advocate for business, the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce
is addressing the most important
issue facing our members - workforce development. We know Helena is a great place to live and work, and we also know the pool of available of workers is small and employers are competing for capable employees. By working together, we believe we can grow our workforce and help meet the needs of area businesses.
In May of 2018, the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce, Helena College, and Reach Higher Montana gathered
a team of business, education, government, and community workforce development partners
to launch Helena WINS (Workforce Innovation NetworkS).
Through the Helena WINS initiative, business, education, government, and community resource providers are encouraged to partner together to develop and implement “work based learning pilot projects” strategically designed to serve employer’s priority workforce needs. Through these
work based learning partnerships, employers collaborate with area
high schools, colleges, universities, education centers, and other workforce development partners
to create “earn and learn talent pipelines” that enable students to gain high demand workforce skills in a combination of classroom and on-the- job training.
Through the earn & learn talent pipelines, employers can attract talent, develop talent, and retain talent for their current and future workforce development needs. As a Helena
WINS business partner, employers have a voice in the Chamber’s efforts to promote Helena as a great place
to live and work, and to encourage target workers in specific demand occupations to consider Helena’s career opportunities. Employer participants also have the opportunity to work collaboratively with other employers who have similar needs
to develop training programs for “up-skilling” current employees and to build career advancement opportunities for their current workforce.
If finding, training and keeping employees is a challenge for your business, Helena WINS can help!
Contact the Helena Chamber of Commerce at info@helenachamber. com or call 406-442-4120. Businesses of all sizes are welcomed to participate in Helena WINS.
There are no defined fee structures associated with Helena WINS because this is an employer-driven initiative, participating businesses determine how much time they would like
to devote to work-based learning programs and opportunities, and if additional resources are necessary, it’s a business decision to invest in those specific strategies.
Earn & Learn Talent Pipeline System
LEVEL 1
CAREER AWARENESS
WORKPLACE TOURS GUEST SPEAKERS CAREER FAIRS | FIELD TRIPS
CAREER EXPLORATION
JOB SHADOWING
CAREER RESEARCH |INTERVIEWS CAREER INTEREST ASSESSMENT
CAREER PREPARATION
PRE-APPRENTICESHIP
SERVICE LEARNING |GROUP PROJECTS
CLASS INTEGRATED INTERNSHIP |STUDENT RUN ENTERPRISE
CAREER TRAINING
APPRENTICESHIP
PAID INTERNSHIP |CLINICAL EXPERIENCE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING |INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
FALL 2018 | 31