Students find success with job-training program

Whitefish Independent High School has had a variety of success stories with its graduates and two current seniors can add their recent accomplishments to that list as a result of the Jobs for Montana’s Graduates program.

Trey Baumgartner-Siers was one of four students in the state selected to represent Montana at the Jobs for America’s Graduates National Student Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C. Fellow classmate TJ Belcher recently wrapped up a paid apprenticeship at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

All Whitefish Independent High School students are involved in the Jobs for Montana’s Graduates Program, which provides “employability skills, leadership development, social and civic responsibility, and career awareness,” according to the program’s website.

“I really see it as the tie that binds here because everybody is involved. Everybody has a responsibility and all those responsibilities require contributions beyond oneself,” said Al Hammel, a Jobs for Montana’s Graduates career specialist at the independent high school.

Leadership has appealed to Baumgartner-Siers for some time. He is a member of the Flathead Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol and has reached the rank of chief master sergeant.

“I really like leadership opportunities and NSLA was a really good one that presented itself,” Baumgartner-Siers said.

Once he arrived in Washington, he joined about 680 students dressed in business attire, according to Hammel.

“I recommend more kids apply. It really is an unforgettable experience,” Baumgartner-Siers said.

To be considered to attend the National Student Leadership Academy he had to submit an essay.

“The essay asked for a brief autobiography, an example of a hardship and how you’ve overcome it, how it has helped me, how JMG (Jobs for Montana Graduates) is currently helping me, what do I think JMG will do in the future, and what will I do if I win,” he said, noting that JMG has given him invaluable experience in interviewing, writing resume and cover letters and the social dynamics of working in a job.

Attending the leadership academy was an empowering experience that included team-building, speakers who were chief executive officers and state governors, and competitive skill events in the areas of math, employability and public speaking.

“We had classes every day. Most were team-building. They really hammered in the point that everybody is different, but at the same time we’re all the same,” Baumgartner-Siers said, pausing to think. “I’m trying to think of a good way to explain it — like everybody there went through a hardship [and] you’re stronger than you think you are.”

During the competitive events he thought that he had signed up for the math skills, but ended up in the employability skills event and had to submit a cover letter, resume and interview with a human resources employee from Tyson. He said it turned out to be a good experience.

“Afterwards I was allowed to ask questions,” he said. “I asked him how to make an interview better. He said I did pretty good — be more confident when interviewing. Really, just be yourself. That was the important thing. Just be yourself.”

Students also had the opportunity to meet U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., which was exciting to Hammel, who chaperoned. Originally they were scheduled to go to Tester’s office to talk to his aides, but were surprised when Tester met them and took time from his schedule to talk to them and give them passes to the Senate gallery.

After graduation Baumgartner-Siers said he ships out for the Navy with the goal of enrolling in the Naval Academy.

Belcher started out volunteering at the Performing Arts Center as a freshman.

“I had a friend involved in it and it kind of got me involved in it,” Belcher said. “I started out as a follow-spot operator.”

A follow-spot operator is a technical term for someone who operates the spotlight. Before then he had no previous experience in lighting.

“I started learning a lot,” he said. “I got into my first summer season in 2015. The Alpine Theatre Project does a repertory of three shows,” Belcher said.

In addition to professional Broadway actors, technical professionals were flown in to work on the productions.

“The projectionists they brought in that I learned under were really cool. Two summer seasons ago they brought in the projectionist from the Met Opera,” Belcher said.

It wasn’t until Hammel was alerted by a regional supervisor with Jobs for Montana’s Graduates that he learned about the Montana Department of Labor and Industry’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Youth Program. The program provides career and occupational learning opportunities and services for students and youth from ages 14 through 24.

“He heard about TJ and the cool stuff he was doing at the PAC and he’s like, ‘I wonder if I can do an apprenticeship with TJ based on the work he’s doing there and if that can work out,’” Hammel said. “It turned from a volunteer position into a professional, paid position.”

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Youth Program has different eligibility requirements.

“It’s a federally funded program so in order to qualify for it — not any kid can — you have to have a certain kind of financial or environmental barrier that might prevent anyone from finding a job,” Hammel explained. “Definitely there’s workforce support. An individual is checked on to see how they’re doing.”

After going through some red tape, Belcher began getting a regular paycheck for his work in addition to a career support system.

Recently, he put his skills to use in organizing a high school dance with a cosmic theme.

“Because of the knowledge TJ had, it was like no other dance here,” Hammel said, noting that Belcher had access to specialized lighting on loan from the Alpine Theatre Project.

When Belcher graduates this year he wants to take time for traveling.

For more information about Jobs for Montana Graduates visit http://jmg.mt.gov. For information on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Youth Program visit http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/wioa/youth-program.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.