Senator Tester Visits Montana Sheet Metal Workers State JATC

BUTTE, Mont. — Senator Jon Tester paid a visit to Butte on Friday to check out the Montana Sheet Metal Workers State JATC.

The apprenticeship and training program is located in South Butte.

Workers took Sen. Tester on a tour through the facility and updated him on the work being done in the program.

The Montana Sheet Metal Workers State JATC trains people who want to learn trades in commercial and industrial sheet metal.

Sen. Tester said it's nice seeing institutions like JATC that give Montanans tools to go out and work in the workforce.

"In tough tough times a lot of folks they can't afford to go to college and college is very very important, but this gives them another option to learn a trade and go out and support their families and have a good quality of life,” Sen. Tester said.

According to program officials the JATC is working on enhancing education in green technology.

Students in the JATC program will complete four years in apprenticeship and training, 1,000 hours in the classroom and over 6,000 hours of on the job training.

Currently there are 47 students in the Butte program.