sponsored by USDOL ETA

HillValleyPhillipsBlaineFergusGarfieldParkFlatheadBig HornCusterRosebudCarterLincolnBeaverheadGlacierMadisonChouteauTetonRavalliPowellTooleGallatinLakeSandersMcConeCascadeMissoulaDawsonCarbonMeagherPrairieFallonLewis&ClarkPowder RiverRichlandRooseveltGraniteYellowstoneLibertyStill-waterPonderaDanielsSheridanJeffersonMineralPetroleumMusselshellJudithBasinSweetGrassWheatlandWibauxTreasureBroad-waterGoldenValleySilverBowDeerLodge

Workforce Innovation and Regional Economic Development- WIRED -

Source: Montana Governor'sOffice.

March 2006 -WIRED.mxd

5005010025Scale of Miles

Created by:Census & EconomicInformation CenterMontana Department ofCommerce301S.Park Ave, Helena MT 59620-0505Phone: 406-841-2740, Email: ceic@mt.govInternet:http://ceic.mt.gov

Legend

WIRED RegionBalance of the StateIndian Reservation

WIRED Region Description

Targeted Industry Sectors

Energy and Agriculture

••BioenergyandBioproducts

Unique Demographics

2003federalincometaxdataplaces10ofAmerica’s•poorestcountiesintheWIREDregion.

Montanaranks50thinthenationforaveragewages•[DLI];theaveragewagein2004fortheWIREDregionwasonly$24,863,whereastheaveragewagefortherestofthestatein2004was$28,172,or$14,485lessthanthenationalaverage.

Agriculturalsubsidiesduringtheperiodof(’99-01)•cameclosetoequalingactualreceiptsreceivedforcropsproducedbyfarmersintheWIREDregion.

AmongchildrenresidingintheWIREDregion,the•percentlivinginpovertyis140percentoftheUSAverage.

ThepopulationoftheWIREDregion(169,233)has•decreasedby5.8percentoverthepreviousdecade,whilethepopulationfortheStateofMontanahasincreasedby5.7percentoverthesameperiod.

Implementation Plan Goals

Developaworld-classbioenergyindustry.

•Developahighlytrainedandstable\growing•workforcetosupportthebioenergyandvalueaddedagricultureindustry.

Createanagile,integratedtalentdevelopment•systemthatwillpreparestateresidentstoact

quicklytotakeadvantageofneweconomicopportunitiesandisresponsivetobusinessneeds.

Createaninclusiveandsustainableregional•identityandleadershipstructurethatwillpromoteinnovationandensurethelong-termsuccessofthetransformationalinitiative.

Promising Practices

EngagementofTribalgovernmentsthroughthelocal•JobServiceofceshasresultedinthecreationofuniquetrainingopportunitiessupportedbyboththetribalgovernmentandtheWIREDprogram.

EnhancedroleoftheCommunityManagementteams•throughouttheregioninstitutionalizescooperationamongsteducation,industry,economicdevelopmentandtheworkforcesystemfromthegroundlevelup.

OutreachthroughDept.ofAgriculture,Dept.of•EnvironmentalQuality,andDept.ofCommercetotheagricultureandenergyindustryaswellasthegeneralpublic,tohelpbuildunderstandingofthebioenergyindustryandtheopportunityitrepresents,fosteringastrongregionalidentity.

Industryworkinggroup–madeupofrepresentative•ofthetruckingindustry,heavyequipmentindustry,remediationandreclamationindustry,biofuelsindustry,andminingindustries.