In my last post I listed some ideas for finding, or creating, a high wage job in Montana. Let’s talk about the first point.
Consider A Job In The Montana High Tech Sector
Some think “Montana High Tech” is a contradiction in terms, but there are now 200 high tech firms in Montana that are growing 8 – 10 times faster than the state economy. These firms are creating jobs that have average wages just over $50,000 – double the state median. The entire sector, if it continues to grow at the current rate, will pass both agriculture and tourism in less than five years, complimenting these other industries to create more opportunities for Montana families. You can find a listing of jobs with high tech firms in Montana at The Montana High Tech Business Alliance jobs portal.
Plus, high tech is not just for techies. Most jobs are in accounting, sales, marketing and administration. Take a look at Elixiter, Inc., a Bozeman-based marketing agency that specializes in marketing automation technology platforms. Of their current (but growing) number of 27 employees, 2 have a technical background, while the remaining 25 have learned the tech skills they need to administer these platforms after being hired. This company takes people with business and marketing backgrounds, hires them, and gives them three months (over 100 hours) of formal technological training with a curriculum designed in-house (and this doesn’t include on-the-job learning they acquire once the formal training is over). Plus, Elixiter actively recruits marketing and business majors from Montana universities, giving opportunities to our state’s non-techie graduates to step into this high-paying sector.
Another advantage of high-tech companies is the global scale on which they can operate. Elixiter has over 55 active clients in 10 countries. Although two clients are in Montana, the rest are out of state, impacting companies on a global scale as well as bringing more outside dollars into Montana’s economy.
Do you have other ideas on how to bring high wage jobs to Montana? Please let me know your thoughts.
Stay tuned for my next post, where we discuss the second way you can increase your high wage job prospects in Montana: Acquire a Manufacturing or Construction Skill.
