Seven Tararua College students have successfully received offers of employment as a result of completing Infrastructure Works training at UCOL | Te Pūkenga while still in school.
UCOL | Te Pūkenga School’s Partnership Manager, Hayden Robinson, says “there’s a real need in the industry which is facing a shortage of people. Students who complete the qualification are being snapped up, especially with the demand on bigger infrastructure projects around the country. It’s a good time to be getting a qualification like this.”
The
in-school qualification is held at UCOL | Te Pūkenga campuses two days a week so that students can complete it alongside their usual secondary school academia. School students participate in this training alongside full-time UCOL | Te Pūkenga students also completing the qualification. The qualification allows secondary school students to gain an insight into tertiary studies while helping them earn credits as well as gaining work experience and, in many cases for this qualification, gain full time employment.
Paora, a Manawatu College student who has completed the course in Levin, says his favourite part is “getting to grow my knowledge in infrastructure and enhancing my skills so I can find a job. They also take safety pretty seriously here and my tutor Joey has had a lot to teach us.”
Also available for students interested in a career in Infrastructure Works is a full-time qualification at UCOL | Te Pūkenga campuses in Palmerston North, Levin and Whanganui. The
New Zealand Certificate in Infrastructure Works is a 15 week, Level 2 qualification that
lecturer Joey Tai says makes quite a difference for his students.
“It is time to make a change in our young people’s lives. I’ve got my students going out on Higgins crew and gaining work experience. This is the second year the qualification has been running at the
Horowhenua campus and it’s a good foot in the door for Infrastructure Works professionally.”
The qualification has been a success this year, Hayden says, and UCOL | Te Pūkenga “may be looking at other delivery sites in 2019.”
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