It’s the last big weekend of summer.
As Labor Day approaches and we prepare to celebrate a three-day weekend and say goodbye to summer, it’s time to reflect. Labor Day has been around since 1882 and was created to celebrate the worker. Of course, over time we focus more on going to the lake, eating, drinking and spending time with family and friends.
Being curious by nature, I began to wonder what the Montanese did for work. What are the top industries when it comes to employment in Montana?
According world atlas, the top industries for employment in Montana are agriculture and forestry. The report says Montana has about 28,000 farms across the state covering nearly 60 million acres that are used for agriculture. Forestry is important in the western part of the state, with over 13 million acres of woodland.
Then health care.
The healthcare industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the state with approximately 70,000 Montana residents working in the field. In fact, future projection models suggest that those looking to start a career with good pay and a high likelihood of advancement might consider going into healthcare.
The energy industry is also important in Montana. Montana produces energy in the form of coal, oil, wind, solar, and hydro, and while some people would like to see the state move away from our reliance on fossil fuels, that doesn’t seem to be happening. anytime soon.
Here in Montana, we make things, so it’s no surprise that manufacturing is a big part of the state’s economy. Some of the things we produce here in the land of the big sky go hand in hand with the industries mentioned above. Some of the products made here in Montana include wood products, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, auto parts, farm equipment, and several outdoor recreation products.
Finally, we have tourism and recreation.
We all know that tourism is big business for Montana, especially during the summer months when millions of people travel to visit places like Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. This has a direct impact on several communities in the state in terms of people staying in their hotels, eating in their restaurants, and shopping in their stores.
Of course, there are many other industries that employ Montanese, and whatever you do for work, I wish you a very happy Labor Day weekend.
