Bullock takes aim at high-wage jobs

HELENA — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock travels to Butte on Tuesday afternoon for a round table addressing the state’s growing need for more health care workers.

The event gives Bullock the opportunity to tout his record on producing high-wage jobs — a point of attack being used by Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte.

Bullock was scheduled to tour the nursing program at Montana Tech, which recently added a four-year nursing degree.

State officials say the health care industry will add about 1,300 new jobs each year through 2024. More than half of those openings are expected to be for nurses. The average pay for a registered nurse in Montana is $61,810 a year.

Bullock has touted the work of the HealthCARE Montana Program, a project focused on training, recruiting and retaining health workers.