Happy Wednesday Beacon readers! Mariah Thomas here. It’s spring break at many of the local schools this week, and as per usual when it’s this time of year, I’m wishing we all had mandated adult spring break. I’m picturing those of you out this week on a beach somewhere, reading this newsletter in the sunshine. Or, at least, enjoying some of the sun we’ve seen in the Valley this week!

Today, Gov. Greg Gianforte paid a visit to the Flathead Valley, making stops at Invader Concepts and Falkor Defense, along with honoring Laura Gardner, the manager of Job Service Kalispell, with an Outstanding Service Award. The awards honor state employees who “go above and beyond to support the citizens of Montana, whether with exceptional customer service, strong leadership, or a commitment to excellence.”

I had a chance to stop in and see Gardner receive the award for her 42 — count ‘em, 42! — years with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Those four decades of service began when Gardner was a Flathead High student.

“When I started in 1982, I was in a program for low-income farm families, and was able to walk over from Flathead High School every day after school to come here, and started out licking envelopes for unemployment insurance claims that were being filed, but then was able to grow and help more of the people, and the people that are coming into the building, people making phone calls,” Gardner said. “And what’s really kept me here is just being able to help people and make a difference in their lives and make a difference in our communities.”

At Job Service Kalispell, Gardner helps to bridge gaps between job seekers and businesses looking for skilled workers. The office’s work ranges from providing resources, helping people submit job applications and work through new technology, upskilling opportunities and hosting an annual job fair.

“We have so many opportunities here,” Gardner said. “And when people aren’t sure where to go for something, come to Job Service. We are so connected in the community that we can either help, or if we can’t help, we know somebody in the community that can help folks.”

The work of Job Service Kalispell, and job service centers across the state, aligns with the Gianforte administration’s focus on workforce and on bridging gaps for Montana’s workers.

In particular, Gianforte pointed to job service centers as being a critical piece of infrastructure to support his 406 JOBS initiative, which launched last August. The initiative aims to connect working-age Montanans with jobs in a slew of high-demand sectors — including manufacturing, another part of Gianforte’s focus during his visit to the Flathead on Wednesday.

Both Falkor Defense and Invader Concepts are part of the firearm and ammunition manufacturing industry, a business sector that has boomed in the Flathead in recent years. (It’s a trend we’ve written about before here at the Beacon — coverage which you can find linked at the bottom of this newsletter.) For Gianforte, visiting those locations serves as a chance to expose growing industry and job opportunities.

“Forty percent of our high school graduates don’t go to college,” he said. “But there’s no reason they can’t pursue the American dream, and many of those jobs exist in manufacturing or the construction trades, or, you know, medical technicians. There’s lots of good-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree.”

And … that’s what I’ve got for you today. Make sure to check out the rest of today’s Daily Roundup.