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Info Evening a Winner All Round

August 19, 2013

It seems EIT Tairāwhiti trades training has had a “real coming of age”, according to carpentry lecturer Joe Hogan.

On the back of this week’s very successful building information evening where around 25 carpenters and sub-contractors had a chance to glean an overview into the programmes on offer, Hogan says the future is looking bright for the region.

Attending the meeting were some of those who had laid the foundations for the success that is being enjoyed today – the 40th anniversary of higher education in the region – including Phil Gaukrodger.

Gaukrodger was employed in 1974 by the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, through Gisborne Boys’ High School, to establish a building apprenticeship tertiary training scheme at the very site the current students learn.

Gaukrodger was later employed by subsequent Polytechnic Tertiary providers in Gisborne, with unbroken building apprenticeship training service for the next 38 years, up until 2012 when he retired. But he is still very actively involved in the local construction industry, as project manager for building contracts.

The building information evening, organised by carpentry tutor Matt Evans, included an update on the local training and also given an insight into the training that could be provided from 2015 and beyond.

“It is the coming of age of what has been developed in carpentry education over the past five years regarding the construction management (Level 5), education support, and the development in both the Tairāwhiti region and at EIT Tairāwhiti,” says Hogan.

“We are now successfully supporting from the pre-trades Level 2 and 3 programmes, into the carpentry apprenticeship Level 4 training. This leads through into the national advanced management (Level 5) programmes of newly qualified and long established builders, along along with the related construction trades subcontractors.

“In the group gathered were builders, engineers, roofers, painters, glaziers and electricians are among those that we now can teach but were not able to attend the information evening,” says Hogan

Attendees had the chance to inspect first-hand the two bedroom house being built on site.

“They were very impressed with the house build and the quality of work going into it.”

Three videos showed the three courses underway. It was a visual diary that allowed those present to see all the building projects students were doing at EIT and around the Gisborne, East Coast region. In friendly and welcoming surroundings the builders past very positive comments and felt free to have their questions answered by the EIT management and building staff .

“It was a chance for the builders to see what our students are doing on these projects and just what they are being taught. There is some impressive work being done by our students.”

In return, Hogan is hopeful some will offer graduates employment.

“Our aim is not to just train them, but to get them out into the workforce too.”

Those attending the evening – the first to be held in this format – included some of the region’s most established builders, through to others who were EIT Tairāwhiti graduates who now had their own building companies.

It was also considered a professional development opportunity for builders attending, allowing them to garner valuable points towards their licencing requirements.

“It was a good networking opportunity for the tutors, local builders and associated trades,” says Hogan. “It is highly likely that some will take on our graduates and continue the circle of carpentry training!”