Plum Creek gives college $60,000 to help with retraining

The Daily Inter Lake

Plum Creek Timber Co. recently announced a $60,000 donation to Flathead Valley Community College for training programs.

The firm also will loan some heavy equipment to the college.

College President Jane Karas said the institution plans to use the donations to retrain people who recently have lost jobs."With an 11 percent unemployment rate in the Flathead Valley, we have seen a dramatic impact in our enrollment and the need to retrain dislocated workers," Karas said.

Hank Ricklefs, vice president of Northern Resources and Manufacturing for Plum Creek, attended presentation ceremonies at the college. He said his company was pleased to become a partner with the college in helping the unemployed in this area.

"We believe Flathead Valley Community College offers the kind of practical and relevant training that will help former manufacturing workers find jobs in the near future," Ricklefs said.

He said Plum Creek asked the college to identify training programs that would help former wood products industry workers learn new skills. In response, the college plans to expand classes in heavy equipment operating, electrical technology, welding, furniture and cabinetry and building trades.

The college works with the Flathead Job Service to advise dislocated workers on education and training opportunities. Those from certain industries such as timber qualify for financial help with tuition, books and fees without affecting their unemployment benefits.

Along with classes, the college assists students with job-search services and resources such as resume preparation and access to job databases.

The impact of large layoffs recently boosted the college enrollment by more than 20 percent compared to last spring's numbers. Those increases amount to about 25 percent of the enrollment growth within the Montana's University System this spring.