Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) Commissioner Sarah Swanson – along with Knife River, RDO Equipment Co. and Teleo – celebrated a $325,000 grant for a pilot program to hire and train veterans living with disabilities to operate heavy construction equipment from a remote and accessible location.
The program will feature the Knife River gravel pit in Belgrade, Mont.
“We have a responsibility to support those who have served our country,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Through this grant, we are empowering veterans with good-paying jobs and helping them transition after a life of service. I’m proud to join DLI in recognizing this innovative program to support our nation’s heroes.”
“Technology can create opportunities for our veterans,” Swanson said. “With Governor Gianforte’s support and the public-private partnership with Knife River and RDO Equipment, we are paving the way for veterans with physical limitations.”
The remote work is possible because of Teleo’s technology, which allows operators to circumvent the physical limitations of job sites and instead operate from the safety and comfort of an accessible workstation. This remote workstation makes the job more accessible for veterans living with disabilities.
During a recent onsite demonstration, the governor used the technology to remotely operate a John Deere loader to move gravel while seated at a command center near the work site.
“The latest developments in construction technology are changing the way we work from so many different angles,” said David K. Zinke, president of Knife River’s Mountain Region. “Most encouragingly, technology provided by Teleo is opening new opportunities for workforce inclusion in the construction industry.”
Knife River is currently seeking qualified applicants, veterans living with disabilities within reasonable travel distance to Bozeman, to fill two operator roles for the pilot project. These operators will be trained to run two John Deere 944K loaders equipped with Teleo technology for quarry operations.
Qualified applicants looking to learn more about employment opportunities can visit jobs.kniferiver.net.