Build Your Future – Choose A Career In Construction!
In September 2025, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry released the “2025 Montana Labor Day Report.” The report stated that “construction and trades were the largest contributors to (economic) growth – accounting for over half of the GDP growth… The rapid growth in Montana’s population and economy over the last few years pushed construction demand to historic levels. Montana’s construction output increased by 3.7% per year since 2019, ranked the fourth fastest among states.” The report also stated that Montana will see 3,700 new jobs created in the trades from 2024 to 2034. This number, paired with the current employment deficit and continued growth in construction and trade, will create a substantial need for skilled and qualified laborers. To address this deficit, Build Montana is working hard to remove the stigma that a four-year degree is the only practical pathway to a successful career. We want to show students that they can obtain credentials, training, and education in the construction industry without a four-year degree, enter the workforce directly, secure a high-paying job, and avoid substantial debt, all at the same time!
Build Montana Graduates See Success in the Industry
Wade Heinzman, 19 (Tri State Truck & Equipment)
Wade was paired with Tri State Trucking and Equipment for his Build Montana experience the spring of 2023. “When I went back there (Tri-State shop) for the first time and saw people tearing stuff apart and seeing it I was like, this is something I could get into…this is kind of cool. Then working with us throughout the program they gave me the opportunity to work with them…I was like ‘Heck ya!’ I couldn’t turn it down it was too good to refuse.” He had a very positive experience with the crew at Tri-State and was excited to be given that opportunity. Wade has been working as an apprentice mechanic since he graduated from Build Montana in June of 2023.
“(Build Montana) opened my eyes to everything that’s out there…They really give you a spectrum of everything out there so you can kind of see what you like, what you don’t like…what interests you and what doesn’t”
Since starting at Tri-State he has learned so much from his day-to-day work as a mechanic. “Just working here, nothing is the same, everything’s different,” says Wade. “It could be the same problem but the way you go about it might be different so while we’re just working our normal day, we’re learning things as we go. Maybe we’ve done something before, and we did it this way and it didn’t work too well so now we have another opportunity with the same problem or same situation.”
Wade talked about how his problem-solving skills and ability to calmly react to hard situations have improved. “You’re in a professional setting so you can’t just throw a fit,” he said. “Everyone gets those moments where you think ‘what’s wrong with me, why can’t I figure this out?’ but being around people that have been doing this for a while, you learn to say ‘okay this is just my job let’s step back and take a breather and figure it out.”
Becoming a master mechanic is one of Wade’s goals, he’s learning as much as he can about fixing engines. Right now, he primarily focuses on the construction equipment at the Billings stor
e, “Maybe in like 40 years I could become a service manager, but now I just want to wrench and learn what I can when I can.” He is excited to go to California for training next month which will be the first time traveling farther than Montana, Idaho or Wyoming and his first time flying!
Wade is very thankful for the opportunities he was given through Build Montana and advocates that it will help bring more students into the industry. “The big thing with the mechanic industry is no one wants to do it anymore, but there are some people out there on the fence about it,” he said. “I think it’s worth it to support programs like Build Montana. If you’re on the fence about joining the construction industry, really what’s going to push you in either direction is someone either reaching out or someone peaking your interest in it.”
Noah Neice, 19 (RDO Equipment Co.)
Noah grew up in California not sure of what he wanted to pursue as a career. He moved to Montana during his sophomore year of high school in January of 2020. “Growing up, I didn’t have a single idea of what I wanted to do,” explained Noah. “It was kind of the typical, ‘I want to do this…oh no now I want to do this…it was a lot of bouncing back and forth. I kind of drifted towards that and wanted to join the military. Then I ended up moving up here to Montana and everything changed with Build Montana. That program really gave me a sense of direction. It gave me a jump start to something other than the military because that (interest) kind of died off…I didn’t really want to do that anymore.”
Noah was placed in the RDO Equipment group during his Build Montana experience, and the heavy machinery sparked his interest. Noah stated, “After Build Montana I was really wanting to do some machine operation. I was still 17, as I was young for my grade so I couldn’t really go work for any of the big companies and operate just yet and that kind of just kicked off me working at RDO.” Noah reached out to John Hurd, RDO’s Billings store manager, and asked if he had any opportunities for Noah to intern or work during the summer. He was hired as a sales trainee and then moved into the yard coordinator position and has been enjoying that roll for over two years now. Noah enjoys keeping the yard organized, the machines clean, and operating the machines to move them as they are constantly being rented and returned. He still thinks about becoming an operator, though he currently loves what he’s doing. “I’m pretty happy where I’m at, but there are some days where I really want to just be out operating, be in the field you know…not being cooped up in a building,” Noah explained.
Noah graduated from the Build Montana program in the spring of 2022 and started at RDO in July 2022. He has had major personal growth in the last couple of years, “Since starting at RDO I have progressed enormously,” laughed Noah. “You can ask any of my coworkers that were here when I first started. You couldn’t get a peep out of me I was so quiet. I was a lot younger, but I’ve progressed a lot. I’m a lot more mature, a lot more professional.” He attributes that growth to his coworkers and colleagues – “We’re a big team here.”
Noah has goals to progress with RDO, “My future professional goals…I’m kind of waiting it out but a Kleemann/John Deere Loader product specialist position (is what I want to do). They had a job posting up but then they took it down so I’m waiting and hoping for that to come along.”
Noah is very grateful for his experience with Build Montana and always advocates that students thinking about it should sign up for the program. He stated that Build Montana was a great jump start into the industry. Noah continues to work with Build Montana students at RDO that enter the program.