UCOL celebrated the first graduation of students studying Trade Start at Kohuora Auckland South Corrections Facility, last Friday, 5 December.
Executive Dean of Engineering and Applied Technologies, Danny Reilly, says it's pleasing to celebrate the achievements of the student inmates, who have strengthened their foundational skills in numeracy and literacy, and learnt practical skills and training that will translate into realistic employment opportunities when they leave prison.
“By completing our Trade Start programme, these men have now achieved the NZ Certificate in Foundation Skills Level 2, with pathway options into construction, plastering, and painting.”
“This cohort has been fantastic, really applying themselves throughout the process, and we can see that reflected in the high completion rate of 86% of the total 28 inmates that began.”
Inmates at the facility volunteer for the programme, with UCOL and SERCO kaimahi then shortlisting them, considering a variety of factors, including timetable clashes with other programmes.
“A huge part of this success has been the positive relationship we have with SERCO, who run the facility under a Public-Private partnership with the Department of Corrections. They’ve been fantastic to work with, and very focused on positive outcomes for the men in their care, by providing these training opportunities," says Reilly.
Lecturer – Foundation Skills, John Farrar, says the students' skills have been exceptional, a point further brought home by an ex-builder Corrections Officer at the graduation who emphasised how impressed he was with the industry-standard quality of work they’d produced throughout the programme.
“To deliver this programme within the Corrections system makes an incredible amount of difference with these men, as the soft skills around teamwork, communication, and resilience, along with the physical skills and achieving literacy and numeracy, can be life changing for them.”
Along with the soft skills that students learn and grow, they also craft a number of projects, including a gift/jewellery box, two mock walls – one approximately knee height and one full-sized that are both built, plastered, and painted to industry standards, and a model house where they work in small groups to entirely frame up the house at a smaller scale. Doing so uses the same skill set as framing a full-sized house.
“There are a couple of students who have since been released, and it’s really pleasing to know that we’ve played a part in providing valuable skills that have helped them to gain employment and settle them back into society,” says Reilly.
Trade Start is now part of a suite of programmes delivered by UCOL at Kohuora Auckland South Corrections Facility (commonly known as Wiri Prison), including Kick for the Seagulls, Bakery, Cookery and Barista Training.