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New online employee training program available from Montana Jobs Network (MJN)
A new online training program for employees is knocking down traditional barriers
to training, namely time, money and distance.
by Leanne H. Frost Western Business News
The program is called Montana Business Culture 101 and is being offered by
Montana Jobs Network (MJN), a non-profit "talent portal" that connects highly
skilled workers with potential jobs in the state. The site went online May 30.
"Our purpose was to remove some of the barriers Montana employers have faced
in trying to offer training opportunities. This is such a rural state," said MJN
executive director and project manager Julie Foster.
Montana employers have said they are having a difficult time finding workers with
core business competencies, such as communication and problem-solving skills.
MBC 101 offers four training modules: communications, problem solving, work
habits and ethics, and adaptability to change. Foster said teambuilding skills are
incorporated into each of the four modules.
According to MJN, "Convenient training times and ease of use will play a key role
in the training program. Because the course is web-based, employees can take
advantage of the materials at their convenience. Montana employers will save
time and money by building a good foundation for training to continue. The MBC
101 model will provide a vehicle and starting point for further innovation in
workforce training in Montana."
The project was funded in part through a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant
(RBEG). A $75,000 in-kind donation from RightNow Technologies in Bozeman
provided the high-end metric software needed to measure the success and
outcome of the MBC 101 project, including building a detailed knowledge base of
Montana workforce data. The project also received a $5,000 donation from Tom
Scott and First Interstate Bank.
Foster said the program takes between four and a half and six hours to
complete, depending on the person, and can be spread out over several days or
a week.
Foster said MJN hopes the program will introduce employers to Internet training
programs. A 2001 survey found that 43 percent of Montana’s businesses had not
provided training in core competency areas, and only 11 percent of employers
have used Internet training, despite the cost savings and convenience.
Foster said MJN is applying for another RBEG to fund the development of a
similar program for managers.
Interested employers can contact MJN at (406) 363-0216 or go to
http://www.montana-jobs.net/mbc101.
About Montana Jobs Network
Montana Jobs Network is a non-profit, web-based "talent portal" formed in
January 2001.
"We’re trying to promote good paying career opportunities in Montana," said
executive director Julie Foster. "Our markets are highly technical, trained, skilled
employees – those in middle to senior management who have moved away from
the state and want to bring their families back."
Foster described the organization’s web site as a "focal point," a place where job
seekers can find career opportunities.
The organization has almost 1,300 resumées on file and more than 60 job
openings with salaries ranging from $38,000 to $150,000.
For more information, call MJN at (406) 363-0216 or go to
http://www.montana-jobs.net.
Copyright © Western Business, a division of Lee Enterprises.
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