"We are standing at the edge of potential workforce abyss." John Cech, deputy commissioner of Montana higher education

Montana faces a looming workforce shortage, and the University System is working to help fill the gap by getting more college students to graduate.

The state’s Department of Labor and Industry estimates that 20 percent of Montana’s workforce will retire in the next few years, he said. Yet the number of Montana high school graduates is expected to be flat.

Four in 10 Montana students attend a campus of the Montana University System, Cech said. Of those students, 78 percent of four-year college graduates and 86 percent of two-year graduates find jobs within Montana.

By Gail Schontzler Chronicle Staff Writer

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/montana_state_university/montana-colleges-making-changes-to-boost-graduation/article_6b28ae2d-9589-57bf-89fa-fe92989bd24d.html