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| Mission Program Features Goals Students Served |
Management Career Association Conferences Schools Served |
The main objective of Jobs for Montana’s Graduates (JMG) is for students to graduate and ultimately secure a quality job and/or post-secondary education that leads to a meaningful career. JMG believes the best way to achieve this objective is to keep students in school through their graduation and to improve their rate of success by acquiring employability competencies before leaving high school. The program serves approximately 1020 students in 51 schools throughout Montana. JMG is affiliated with Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), a national school-to-work program.
JMG’s Mission is Two-fold:
- To provide classroom instruction and work-based learning opportunities to students in grades seven through twelve and high school dropouts ages 16-18 which will enhance their career awareness, self-esteem and work readiness.
- To identify young people who can benefit the most through participating in JMG and prepare them for meaningful career-oriented jobs, matching the students with community job opportunities and providing long-term follow-up to facilitate their successful transition from school-to-work.
The methods used to operate this program include a unique combination of in-school and out-of-school services provided by a Career Specialist. Key Components are:
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Employability skills curriculum: competency-based instruction including units on career planning and decision-making, job seeking, job retention, basic academics, leadership and self-development and personal skills. Link to see the core competencies (employability skills).
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Montana Career Association: a motivational student organization, which fosters the development of self-esteem, leadership, decision-making and assertiveness skills and provides recognition for positive achievement.
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Job Development and placement: meaningful job opportunities with advancement potential are matched with job-ready, motivated graduates involved in the program.
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Post graduation and follow-up: graduates and their employers are provided twelve months of follow-up assistance to facilitate students’ successful transitions into the labor market.
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Active partnership between government, labor, business, education and the community.
- Improve the student’s employability skills.
- Help the student develop and define career goals and plans for the years immediately following graduation.
- Provide eighth grade assistance to transition from middle school into high school and help the student to successfully complete high school.
- Assist the student to develop confidence, poise and positive attitude.
- Assist the student to acquire skills to successfully communicate with supervisors and coworkers.
- Stimulate the student’s initiative, teamwork and leadership skills.
- Promote within the student respect for the dignity of work.
- Assist the student to display a sense of social responsibility and civic involvement.
- Assist the student to develop strong coping and decision-making skills.
- Stimulate the student’s school spirit and interest in school activities.
- Help student develop a feeling of pride in accomplishment.
- Provide opportunities for the student to develop personal goals and evaluate their progress toward attaining those goals.
- JMG is administered by the Department of Labor and Industry.
- A Board of Directors provides program over-site and participates in on-going development. The Board represents leaders from the private and public sectors. The Governor is chair of the board and the Superintendent of Public Instruction is vice-chair.
- Jobs for Montana’s Graduates Foundation Board secures additional funding to support JMG’s mission and goals.
- A variety of funds support JMG, including local, state, federal and private sector resources.
- JMG and JAG provide technical assistance and training for local and state program staff. JAG also conducts an on-site accreditation of all state affiliates.
- Local business leaders serve as active partners in local program implementation.
- Local career specialists take full responsibility for teaching JMG curriculum, assisting students in completing outcome documents through a portfolio system and establishing the Montana Career Association at each participating school.
The Montana Career Association (MCA) is a highly motivated student-led organization that creates a unique learning environment by connecting JMG participants to the “real” world of work and their respective communities. The career association builds on the JMG competency-based curriculum, by providing opportunities for students to develop their leadership and teaming skills that are critical to success in the workplace.
Through the collaborative efforts of school and community partners across Montana, students are given an opportunity to practice and refine their social and civic responsibilities to become better citizens. By partnering with community-wide organizations and the business sector, JMG students gain a sense of pride and accomplishment through their involvement in service learning projects, fundraising, employer marketing campaigns and leadership activities; all of which further enhance their career opportunities.
Students in the MCA participate in state and national competitions that are held throughout the school year. The Fall Leadership Conference and Career Development Conference are centered around leadership and career challenges that each student must face in their lifetime to become successful. These competitions focus on decision-making, critical thinking, oral presentations, math and business vocabulary skills, teamwork, visual and conceptual learning, essays and employment preparation.
By motivating and preparing the JMG students with the necessary employability skills through career exploration, the Montana Career Association continues to provide each individual with lessons about the right attitude, assertiveness and self-esteem that employers strive for when searching for that ideal candidate for employment. Not only will each participant be recognized for their achievements and accolades, but also for the positive behavior that will enable them to become successful in post-secondary education, the military, vocational training or career advancement.
Students plan a Program of Work with projects in four areas:
- Career
- Civic
- Leadership
- Social
Fall Leadership Conference
October 27, 2009
Red Lion Colonial Inn
Helena, Montana
Career Development Conference
May 5-6, 2009
Billings Hotel & Convention Center
Billings, Montana
JMG serves approximately 1020 students in 33 High Schools, 11 Middle Schools, 5 Alternative High Schools and 2 "Out-of-School" programs.
