Newsroom | Community Health

Two Rivers Economic Growth is bolstering efforts to provide skills training and employment readiness for residents in northeastern Montana, ensuring one of the state’s most isolated regions has a robust workforce.

Established in 1991, Two Rivers Economic Growth provides support for small businesses, promotes workforce training, and collaborates with local stakeholders to identify opportunities to improve the well-being and quality of life in Valley County. Executive Director Shyanne Wallace runs the nonprofit and splits her time with the local chamber of commerce to help serve the region’s roughly 7,000 residents.  

“The people in our county are second to none,” she says. “Valley County is an aging county, most of our residents are senior citizens. So how do we keep the workforce vital? How do we ensure our seniors are in the workforce, and how do we help make sure that our businesses don’t close because they don’t have staff? That will continue to be our focus.”

With help from a $10,000 Blue Impact^SM grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, the nonprofit surveyed employers in Valley County to better understand gaps hindering economic and workforce growth in the region. The grant program targets social and economic factors that influence health, including economic opportunity and stability.   

“The health of a community’s workforce through education and additional support directly impacts the health of the individuals who live and work in that community,” says BCBSMT Plan President Lisa Kelley. “The work Two Rivers Economic Growth is making a significant impact on social determinants of health in eastern Montana, and we’re grateful we have the opportunity to support their work.”

Workforce development needs topped survey responses, which wasn’t a total surprise, says Wallace. Employers listed communication, problem-solving and leadership skills as most lacking in their workforce. They cited teamwork, communication and critical thinking as their most prioritized skills for new employees.

As a response and with help from the grant, Two Rivers Economic Growth is making job training and soft skills a focus of free community events that bring together local employers, nonprofits and job seekers to prepare Valley County residents for opportunities in local government, agriculture and railroad work — the area’s primary economic drivers.

For example, in October Two Rivers partnered with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry to gather 16 organizations from across eastern Montana focused on apprenticeship programs, housing and small business development to provide information, resources and open jobs. The event drew about 40 attendees and is one of many similar events held in Glasgow, the county’s largest city.

In a county of 7,000 people that’s real impact, Wallace says.  

“People want to do things, but they don’t know where to start,” she adds. “If they come to an event or a workshop — even if they only glean a little bit of information — it gives them something to follow up on.”

Two Rivers also leads other programs and initiatives, including a pilot with Valley County Schools and local medical facilities that awards high school students school credit for obtaining their Certified Nursing Assistant credentials. Students gain real-world medical experience and local facilities have a pipeline of health care workers.

With feedback from local employers and prospective employees, Wallace says she has more tangible ideas and a clearer vision for the future.

“When I think about the future of our county, we have a capable, plentiful pool of job applicants and a nice place to live,” she says. “We know where we’re headed. People will want to be here. I see nowhere better to be than Valley County.”