At 23 Adam Newton is on track for a great career in the building industry, enjoying the variety of his work and friends he has made through the EIT building programme.

Two years ago he was working in a pack house but started to feel a bit over it.

While making packing crates for his employer, he realised how much he enjoyed working with tools and making things.

He checked out what was on offer at EIT and enrolled for in Level two building and construction course, which would help him get into the NZ Certificate in construction trades skills (carpentry Level 3) programme.

Adam really enjoyed the hands-on aspect of learning, with other students building a relocatable home on campus.

He absolutely nailed it, topping his class at the end of the year.

EIT tutor and site co-ordinator Howard Irving was impressed by Adam’s commitment to the programme.

Adam enrolled for the Level 4 NZ certificate programme with EIT and was given an apprenticeship with Richard Whitley. This meant he would earn while he learned.

Working with an owner-operator building contractor was right up his alley because it made for a wide variety of work and learning.

Monday evenings are spent on the EIT campus, reviewing his work and monitoring his progress.

“The tutors are great – they are really onto it,” he says.

The apprenticeship is for four years and he recommends it to anyone interested in the construction industry.

“It’s awesome – it’s paid work and you are learning all the time.”