Every year tech and engineering teacher Joel Johansen teaches the class Construction Tech along with various other woods and digital media classes. Currently students are beginning to develop new construction skills and learn all the elements that go into building a shed. The shed is built in the tech and engineering lab. The process of completing the shed is done by the students, giving them the opportunity to explore potential jobs in the field of construction.

After the shed is completed, Johansen sells it to earn funds for the following year’s class.  

“Generally the shed is sold for the cost of materials,” Johansen said.

Since the start of the class students have begun to get an insight of what is in store for them. Junior Blane Davey explains the opportunities he is going to have by knowing these skills. 

“I am excited to work on rough framing because you can get a job doing that really easy and it makes you really good money,” Davey said.

As Davey strives to learn these new skills for his financial future, he also is advancing his skill set for his personal gain.

“I would probably like to build my own house someday,” Davey said.

Senior Keean Hermanson is also making the best out of the opportunity by using it as a chance to open his horizons for his plans after high school.

“I plan on using these skills in the future, but it depends on what I want to do for the rest of my life. So it will help me in the long run,” Hermanson said.

Constructing a building can be a very frustrating process, but Hermanson does not shy away from the challenge. Instead he chooses to keep a positive mindset while beginning the trial and error procedure.

“We still have to learn some things, so it goes all smoothly. We will probably make mistakes, but we will fix them,” Hermanson said. 

According to Johansen, students construct the shed to practice their new skill sets by getting as close to building a house as possible. 

“We use the shed build to replicate residential construction techniques. Build it the same way a house is built, only much smaller,” Johansen said.

For students interested in looking into job fields such as construction, classes like this might be worth considering. The first steps needed to be completed before taking construction tech are the beginner courses. With the possible exception of seniors due to the “senior standing” waiver they can go straight to Construction Tech without beginner classes.

 “A student has to take our freshman 160 course and the Intro to Architecture course. We have a “senior standing” waiver process, though,” Johansen said.

To progress and ready the student skills Johansen provides labs for hands on practice.

“We also complete labs in electrical, plumbing and HVAC,” Johansen said.