A petition to Governor Greg Gianforte
Help bring hands-on manufacturing and skilled-trades education back to Montana public schools.
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On October 15, 2026, Governor Greg Gianforte's office announced a $4.8 million award to establish the Montana Skills Fund, a statewide program reimbursing employers for approved training expenses. The release says the fund will initially target advanced manufacturing and computing, as well as construction trades, and support employer-led training for newly hired and incumbent workers. It says employer eligibility and application details were expected in early 2027.
We urge Governor Greg Gianforte and the administration to bring manufacturing and skilled-trades education back to Montana public schools, working with school districts, educators, manufacturers, and the Legislature to:
Increase career awareness so students and families understand manufacturing and skilled trades as valuable career options.
Restore and expand modern shop classes and hands-on technical education where access is missing or limited.
Expand opportunities for students to earn school credit through supervised, age-appropriate employment and on-the-job training, including paid opportunities.
Give schools the resources to deliver these programs, including equipment, qualified instructors, transportation, and shared technical facilities serving multiple schools where appropriate.
Create or expand incentives for manufacturers to partner with schools, host student learning experiences, and provide training.
Encourage and incentivize donations of funding, usable equipment, materials, and expertise to support school manufacturing and trades programs.
Build Montana Futures is a petition from the American Manufacturing Association. We urge Governor Greg Gianforte and the administration to bring manufacturing and skilled-trades education back to Montana public schools.
Manufacturing and skilled trades offer rewarding careers that build things people use every day.
Hands-on learning helps students discover what they are good at, and it gives them a path to a steady job after high school.
When schools, manufacturers, and communities work together, more students can see these careers as real options for their future.
The American Manufacturing Association (AMFGA), based in Frisco, Texas, connects manufacturers, educators, and community members to strengthen manufacturing and skilled-trades careers. We organize this petition as an educational public-benefit initiative, and it is not a political campaign.
American Manufacturing Association, Frisco, Texas