looking to move to stevenville; job info (Missoula, Great Falls: home, income)

[flatland_dreamer]

Hello all,

When i was younger I use to spend every summer at my grandpa's place in the foothills of the bitterroot just outside of stevi.. coming from the flatlands of Indiana it was like heaven lol. Well here in the last 6 months I've been thinking real hard about moving out there, which is pretty much what my grandpa did 40yrs ago... I want to go into with a plan because i know the failure rate of outsiders trying to survive out there is pretty high.. one problem is right now I'm a reservist for the air force, and I've checked and the closest reserve unit is mountain home Idaho, and I know that drive once a month from stevi is unrealistic, especially in the winter months.. I'd like to stay enlisted due to the fact that its an extra $300/month to help with income, i can switch to air national guard and then the closest unit is great falls, MT. Is that more do able in the winter months?

Also I would like to have atleast one job before I make the move... I'm a 2 yr machinist/welder and got my training through the air force. So I have a skill trade and I firgured that would help me find something. But in my searches online I have yet to find any fabrication type jobs. Was wonder if any of you locals can point me in the right direction to see if I'm missing anything

Thanks for all your help,

Emerson Jumper

[NDak15]

Stevensville to Great Falls can still be sketchy during the winter. You will definitely want to come with a good job and should keep in mind that Montana has low wages. I don't know what the cost of living in Stevensville is but much of western Montana is expensive. Also be aware that people in western Montana are often not welcoming of outsiders.

[flatland_dreamer]

Originally Posted by WyoEagle

Stevensville to Great Falls can still be sketchy during the winter. You will definitely want to come with a good job and should keep in mind that Montana has low wages. I don't know what the cost of living in Stevensville is but much of western Montana is expensive. Also be aware that people in western Montana are often not welcoming of outsiders.

Thanks for the info on the drive, I plan on getting a Subaru of some kind for the winter, i know even Awd won't help sometimes out west.
I know the valley has become quite the tourist trap and californian refuge over the years and the locals hate that, and it also had tp do with the economy in the area.. I was hoping my trade would give me a little bit of a leg up wage wise, no way a welder or a machinist is pulling in the same cash as a waiter lol... I have no goal of being rich, I'd rather enjoy life than worry if I'm making more money than the next guy

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by flatland_dreamer

Thanks for the info on the drive, I plan on getting a Subaru of some kind for the winter, i know even Awd won't help sometimes out west.
I know the valley has become quite the tourist trap and californian refuge over the years and the locals hate that, and it also had tp do with the economy in the area.. I was hoping my trade would give me a little bit of a leg up wage wise, no way a welder or a machinist is pulling in the same cash as a waiter lol... I have no goal of being rich, I'd rather enjoy life than worry if I'm making more money than the next guy

Most people want to enjoy life but if you can't make ends meet you won't be too happy. This is not to say you won't make any money and that you won't make a living in Montana, just do your homework before committing to anything.

[flatland_dreamer]

Originally Posted by WyoEagle

Most people want to enjoy life but if you can't make ends meet you won't be too happy. This is not to say you won't make any money and that you won't make a living in Montana, just do your homework before committing to anything.

Maybe I worded that wrong lol. I Dont need the newest and nicest things, hell I can't be far from that and be perfectly happy.. I have lived my whole life (yes only 20yrs lol) in the lower class.. I'm not stranger to stretching my dollar. Just bored of the endless cornfields lol wouldn't mind looking out of my Window at gorgeous mountains

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by flatland_dreamer

Maybe I worded that wrong lol. I Dont need the newest and nicest things, hell I can't be far from that and be perfectly happy.. I have lived my whole life (yes only 20yrs lol) in the lower class.. I'm not stranger to stretching my dollar. Just bored of the endless cornfields lol wouldn't mind looking out of my Window at gorgeous mountains

Scenery is great but you can't eat it and it doesn't pay your bills. Proceed with caution.

[NW Crow]

If you are going to move to Montana and live there year round, long term you would need to need prepared for drives like Stevensville to Great Falls in winter. If the road was too bad for you to feel good about driving it, there appears to be a bus route with this company. Rimrock Stages I couldn't get the pricing info to load though. Would you consider living closer to Great Falls initially? if you liked Stevensville, maybe you might like Chocteau, White Sulphur Springs or maybe even a place outside of Helena. They'd be closer to the base.

[Heart]

Be very realistic about the job situation in Stevensville. You say you don't mind living on very little, and that is exactly what you will have to do if you come here without a profession. My husband and I did just that and it was a very stressful struggle at first. Looking at pretty mountains, does not take that stress away, I'm afraid.

In Stevi there are only very few places you could work. There's a gas station, a couple of cafe's, a drug store and super 1 foods grocer. I'm pretty sure those jobs are well taken, as it is a small town and the locals are vying for them already. More than likely you'll have to do what my husband did, and that is commute to Missoula and take one of the highest paying jobs offered there which is a call center at Direct tv. Thing is, it's not that high paying and, the job is stressful.

I think the people who the best already have money and a plan in place, or are coming up with a profession or trade that they can get jobs with. Those willing to work other types of jobs do struggle quite a bit when they come and try to put stakes in the ground and I have seen my share of people come, then pack up and go after a first winter because they either cannot tolerate winter, or the low paying jobs that go no where. As WYO said, you cannot eat scenery and that is true. You'll get hungry and when they winter bill comes in, you'll be wondering why you came up lol. I had a winter bill of $200 per month last year. Northwest energy is very high, and Northwest does handle Stevi. Good luck to you.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by Heart

In Stevi there are only very few places you could work.

..

......I really wish people would DO THEIR HOMEWORK before making statements that are TOTALLY INACCURATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Stevensville is the home of: SELWAY CORP.......and has been since 1976!!!!!!!!

It is one of the largest steel fabricators is this portion of the Rocky Mountain west and has anywhere from 40 to 100 "welders" on their payroll....depending on their workload and back-log of business on the books.

Go to their web site:........selwaycorp.com .....or Google: Heavy Steel fabrication Stevensville Montana

I have no idea if they are hiring...............but since you have some degree of qualification in the "field of welding"............I would suggest a complete and thorough resume, properly composed and submitted with a professional looking cover letter, would be in order...........you've got nothing to lose!!

[rambrush]

Plus there is a Solar Business there that might be a option or maybe not..