St Paul’s Collegiate School and key industry builders are enabling students to gain hands-on experience in the construction industry as part of a programme aimed at Year 12 and 13 students.
Students in the construction class build a house from scratch under the guidance of qualified builders who donate their time to help mentor the future generation of New Zealand builders, project managers and architects.
St Paul’s Collegiate School’s Acting Headmaster, Peter Hampton said the construction class have students a competitive advantage when they finish school and enter the construction industry.
"The programme provides students with the opportunity to gain an understanding of the construction process and building techniques, which is useful for those who wish to pursue an apprenticeship after leaving school.
"The progamme is also useful for students considering project management or architecture as a career, it gives them hands-on experience in building from a builder’s perspective," Mr Hampton said.
The student have completed two houses, one in each of 2011 and 2012, which went to the school’s adventure camp at Tihoi and on the school’s Hamilton site as staff accommodation.
The house currently under construction, a four-bedroom, two bathroom dwelling, will be called Rose Cottage and will also be used on the site.
The student builder work two full days a week on site under construction manager Gavin Jakes and through the BCITO (Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation) gaining Level 3 NCEA credits and theory required towards an apprenticeship.
Students also complete practical projects in the workshop to further develop their skills.
