Highlands College to Unveil New Sign

Highlands College of Montana Tech will unveil a new sign on its campus on Thursday, October 6, 2022, in conjunction with Trades and Technology Day.

The sign, housed in the pre-apprenticeship line pole yard, showcases a partnership between the university and NorthWestern Energy. The sign will promote the line program to prospective students.

"Highlands College is partnering with NorthWestern Energy to build skills and competencies that are essential to an organization’s life and maintain industry competitiveness. Faculty, current students, and industry partners work together to bridge the gap between education and industry," said Highlands College Dean Karen VanDaveer. "Highlands College is home to all Montana Tech career-ready and transfer programs that help build the workforce we need to better lives in Butte and across Montana. Skills are for life and can be built upon to achieve industry-recognized credentials leading to good paying jobs."

The event will kick-off at 9:30 am with VanDaveer, and Dean Bentley, Human Resources Generalist with NorthWestern Energy and Vice Chair of the Montana Workforce Innovation Board, providing a few remarks. Representatives from NorthWestern Energy will be on hand as the sign is revealed to faculty, staff, students, community members, and high school students attending Trades & Technology Day.

Trades & Technology Day allows students to explore career and technical education career opportunities. 275 high school students from 15 schools and 20 industry partners are expected to be at the 2022 Trades & Technology Day.

“NorthWestern Energy and our energy industry partners have been working diligently with Highlands College for several years to help address the industry workforce shortages," said NorthWestern Energy Community Relations Manager Paul Babb. "Highlands College has been a model of what a community and industry partner should be. Highlands faculty and staff have been agile and responsive to adjusting training to meet the rapid industry changes we face. Highlands College students have leveraged the long-standing reputation of Montana Tech’s dedication and hard work ethic to hit the job market a step ahead of others. Graduates are entering good-paying, sustainable careers in our industry and our communities. It’s a winning relationship from my perspective, and we are excited to have the Trades and Technical Day again this year to spark the next generation of employees' interest in these career paths.”

After the event, prospective students will enjoy a day learning all about the program offerings at Highlands and will have the opportunity to meet with industry representatives in attendance. Students will also have the chance to take a bucket truck ride and participate in hands-on career exploration activities.

The pre-apprentice line program at Highlands College is one of the university’s more popular majors. Students interested in learning more or applying for the spring or fall semester 2023, should email admissions@mtech.edu.