From Indiana to Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, governments are increasingly leveraging AI to connect job seekers with career opportunities. In doing so, there are risks of bias, but some experts argue responsible AI integration can actually reduce bias.
Now, Montana is leaning into AI’s potential to impact and bolster its workforce, with the signing of Executive Order 5-2025.
The order does several key things, including establish the 406 JOBS initiative, named for “Four Pathways to Employment, Zero Barriers to Work, and Six High Demand Sectors.” The initiative aims to align state workforce development strategy with the federal government’s goals for jobs and AI.
“Just last week, the DLI released a new report, showing that more than 100,000 working age Montanans are not employed and not seeking work,” Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) Commissioner Sarah Swanson said in a statement, noting that the new initiative can help connect Montana residents to “meaningful work.”
The order also directs DLI to work with the Office of Public Instruction, the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, the Montana University System, and the Department of Commerce to advance AI for the workforce and economy, recognizing estimates that 30 percent of U.S. jobs could be automated by 2030. The entities are directed to do several things.
One focus is on education. The order compels these entities to expand opportunities to skill Montanans in using AI technologies, representative of a broader trend to expand AI training. They will also provide professional development opportunities specifically aimed at supporting educators in their incorporation of AI skills development as part of career-readiness instruction; there is currently a knowledge gap for educators in this area.
The other focus is on the workforce. The entities are directed to find opportunities to leverage AI tools for job seekers in the process of navigating career options, obtaining training and getting a job. AI readiness should be included in talent development programs, the order dictates.
The state entities will also partner with industry to support the workforce. This includes aiding small businesses, both in upskilling workers and implementing AI technologies for operations. The order also requires support for public-private partnerships that can speed up AI workforce development across key sectors. These are likely the sectors prioritized in the 406 JOBS framework: health care, construction, hospitality and recreation, advanced manufacturing and computing, education and child care, and financial and professional services.
The executive order builds on previous state legislation signed into law this year — specifically House Bill 449, HB 656 and HB 823 — which aim to reform the state’s workforce and education systems with improved access to training opportunities.
“The 406 JOBS initiative positions Montana as a leader of workforce development in this country: embracing technology, requiring agencies to work better together, and asking actual employers to chart our path forward rather than assuming government has all the answers,” Swanson said during a press conference.
The order directs the Montana State Workforce Innovation Board to work with relevant agencies on developing an initial written report to the governor offering recommendations for a statewide implementation strategy for the first year of the initiative. This report is due within 90 days of the order’s signing.
