GRANTEE:

Montana Job Training Partnership, Inc.

ADDRESS:

302 North Last Chance Gulch, Suite 409

Helena, MT 59601

AMOUNT:

$597,400

DURATION:

24 months

POPULATION SERVED: Job seekers with disabilities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: This project will be a statewide initiative to implement Disability Navigator positions at One-Stop Centers in each of Montanas workforce areas. These Disability Navigators will provide customer service by offering wide reaching expertise and technical assistance on a variety of disability-related issues and employment topics to workforce development staff, disability organizations, vocational rehabilitation personnel, parents, teachers, and job seekers with disabilities. Navigators will use technology and connectivity to reach out to the most sparsely populated areas of the state, including several Native American Indian reservations. Connecting these individuals with disabilities with One-Stop Centers, other workforce development programs, or to employers to obtain training or employment are the overall goals of the project.

Most job growth is projected to be in the service sector of the economy, primarily in eating and drinking establishments, gambling and recreation establishments, business services, computer services, private health services, hotel/motel, and engineering management. Montanas One-Stop delivery system and affiliated WIA service providers offer a variety of services to individuals with disabilities such as assessment, individual employment planning, group and individual counseling and career planning, short-term pre-vocational training, basic skills training, apprenticeship linkages, vocational skills training, skill upgrading and retraining, entrepreneurial training, job readiness activities, and financial support services.

Only 55 percent of individuals with disabilities age 21 to 64 in Montana are reported as employed in the 2000 Census. Montana employers have indicated in focus groups that they can train employees in specific occupational skill as long as employees have the necessary soft skills to be productive workers.

Partners will include BOS WIB, CEP WIB, local elected officials, Montana Department of Labor, Employment Service, Vocational Rehabilitation, Human Resource Development Councils, Montana State AFL-CIO, Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, Independent Living Centers, community rehabilitation programs, veterans organizations and numerous local One-Stop partners.

GEOGRAPHIC AREA TO BE SERVED: State of Montana

CONTACT:

Sue Mohr

406-444-1309