BOZEMAN — Bozeman High School and Gallatin High School students will soon get some hands-on work at a new construction academy launching in the school district this year.

"I like doing stuff with my hands like I can't sit at a desk all day," says Gallatin High sophomore Jaxson Huckert.

Huckert says this dual credit class, which earns him college credit, will set him up for his future.

"I think I will definitely take that over other things because it is more applicable to what I want to do. I want to go into plumbing," Huckert says.

Huckert has dabbled in many trades courses at Gallatin, and with the construction academy launching in the fall of 2025, he's ready to put his skills to the test.

"We have woodworking, auto, medals, welding, and stuff like that. But there's not a lot of electrical or plumbing or construction stuff," Huckert says.

Career Outreach Coordinator Karl Schwartz says students are thrilled to sign up.

"There are well over 50 students at each school that are interested right now," Schwartz says.

There will be around 12 students starting the classes. They will hone their basic skills in the classroom and then work outside.

"Those skills will transfer out to our job site, which will be a giant gravel pad at each high school, and that's where they will work on their sheds so that they will build an entire shed," Schwartz says.

Schwartz says sheds are just the beginning.

"Hopefully, in Bozeman, we can grow our program to include different trades and hopefully build homes one day," Schwartz says.

But funding for the program could be an issue.

"The school district, we don't have a lot of money right now. We have gone through a budget crisis for the last year. In order to get this program to start, we are looking for a few industry partners," Schwartz says.

Schwartz says a few local companies have already donated.

"Because we are building and selling the sheds, it will become self-sustaining," Schwartz says.

As they look to the future, Schwartz says, "We've brainstormed different ideas of potentially even building affordable housing for teachers in Bozeman."