Variety of jobs available in county – Glendive, Montana Job Service

Glendive Job Service http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/local/glendive/ representatives say they have 159 job listings as of Monday, and that few listings are oil related.

"The oil boom hasn’t hit Glendive yet," manager Lonnie Cross said. "Though we may see more oil-related listings soon. We are not the hub of activity when compared with Sidney and Williston, N.D."

Current listings at the Glendive Job Service span a wide variety, Cross said. There are many positions in the medical and hospitality fields.

The Glendive Job Service operates under the State of Montana Workforce Services Division and its Department of Labor and Industry.

By Eric Killelea
Ranger-Review Staff Writer

The following are brief examples of what was found Monday on Glendive’s listing: Bartender/waiter or waitresses, cashiers, engineers, farm/ranch laborers, human resource administrator, maids, registered nurses and truck drivers.

The number of listings this year has increased about 265 percent from the 60 listed at the same time last year, Cross said. But more of the listings now are for either entry-level positions or require specific education and training.

Nonetheless, Cross said the state economy is better than last year.

The national unemployment rate as of September 2011 was 9.1 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Montana’s unemployment rate was 7.7 percent.

The latest reports taken in August 2011 indicate Dawson County has a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.4 percent, while Richland County has a 3.3 percent.

Williston, N.D., which is located in Williams County, has an unemployment rate of 1 percent while Dickinson, N.D. in Stark County is a rate of 1.7 percent.

Unlike the Glendive listing market, the Sidney and Williston service areas mostly include oil-related jobs, Cross said.

"People who work in the oil industry often live in Glendive but work elsewhere," Cross said. "But keep in mind that very often oil companies don’t list with us."

The role of the Glendive Job Service includes serving the "universal client," but also paying particular attention to try to find employers that are willing to give people a try, Cross said.

This involves helping disabled and low-income families, veterans and dislocated workers find jobs. It also means providing education or specific training through state funded programs.

"Many of what is on our listings require specific training," Cross said. "We now have people going to Dawson Community College [to meet such requirements.]"

Another issue Cross sees in local hiring, besides education and training, is salary.

"Local employers can’t pay as much and compete with the oil field wages," she said.

Given that, Cross said the oil boom hasn’t hit Glendive yet, and the listings at the job service reflect listings that some might have thought weren’t available.

Reach Eric Killelea at [email protected].