Gallatin College MSU to offer construction job-preparedness program in July

 Gallatin College Montana State University is offering a job-preparedness training program for those interested in a career in the high-demand field of construction.

The Job Site Ready Construction Training Program is available as noncredit workforce training, pre-apprenticeship hours or a Montana University System credit option. The program is designed to equip participants in a short amount of time with real-life work experience and the essential skills to start an entry-level job in the construction trades. Participants will learn skills such as power and hand tool use and maintenance; construction materials; workplace safety; industrial practices; basic print reading; basic framing and concrete work. The JSR program is a statewide collaboration between Gallatin College, Great Falls College, Missoula College, Billings City College at MSU, Bitterroot College and Hellgate High School.

“The idea is to give students the basic tools to go into an apprenticeship program with a head start over someone else without this training,” said Frank Harriman, construction trades adviser and instructor for the program. “We want to provide them with exposure to the field and give them the confidence they can do the jobs they are asked. We feel once they are exposed to this industry, they can see why a lot of us find it fun and a likable job.”

The program is open to interested individuals age 16 and older statewide, especially high school students considering their next move, individuals who are looking for a new skillset or career change and the potential to earn more income. According to program leaders, JSR will give participants the equivalent of six months of job site training in just a few days. They say participants will leave the program feeling confident in their skills, understanding how to work onsite safely and highly marketable for an industry that has a strong need for employees.

“We already have companies that have contacted us regarding access to students who participate in this program,” Harriman said.

The program consists of 30 hours of online modules and 15 hours of onsite hands-on workshop. The modules let students work at their own pace and cover construction topics as well as workplace development. Participants must complete the online portion with a 70% or higher pass rate before they can qualify for the onsite workshop. Interested individuals are encouraged to register by July 7 in order to have ample time to complete the online portion, as the workshop will take place July 17 and 18 at Gallatin College’s campus, 705 Osterman Drive in Bozeman. Current industry professionals, such as Harriman, have built the program’s curriculum and serve as instructors.

Participants will build a tool shed that has the basic framing of a house. Harriman said participants will do everything, including framing floors, walls, windows and doors; installing windows and doors; building the roof and mounting siding.

Graduates of the program could work in a variety of construction fields, such as carpentry, plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and more. Harriman and Riley Duecker, a consultant for Gallatin College’s new HVAC-R program, will lead the onsite lab.

“Riley and I spent a lot of time in the field, boots on the ground, so we have a good idea of what an employer is looking for,” Harriman said. “If you look through the program modules, they aren’t just construction but also related to general workforce development. How do you communicate with coworkers, and topics like that. Riley and I have a good handle on what the expectation is when you show up on the first day of work.”  

The course is $750 and includes the online instruction, in-person lab workshop and a 20-piece tool set for graduates to utilize and take to their future employment. Scholarship opportunities and early registration rates are also available. For more information and to register, visit gallatin.montana.edu/jsr.html.

Gallatin College MSU is southwest Montana’s two-year college, offering general education, one-year professional certificates and two-year associate degrees. Gallatin College complements the four-year programs at MSU, with a mission of helping individuals fulfill their potential and ensuring access to workforce development that promotes a vibrant local economy.