It was a race to the bottom for Makoura College students using power tools at Jennian Homes. PHOTO/GIANINA SCHWANECKE
GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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There are already a few female students more interested in the construction and trades industries after the Wairarapa Youth Education Training and Employment Partnership [YETE] big day out on Tuesday.
More than 100 secondary school students and young people from around the region visited various businesses to learn more about career opportunities in the primary, construction and infrastructure sectors.
Neither Kaitlyn Barr nor Harmony Aplin, both students at Makoura College, had considered a career in construction before attending the open day and visiting businesses like Jennian Homes Masterton.
Aplin said it was not what she had expected.
“Building and construction can have different pathways.
“It’s made me think about what I want to do now and what I might be interested in.”
She found tiling really interesting, and while Barr hadn’t found anything to interest her there, she said it was still “really cool” to learn about something different.
“Try something you wouldn’t normally do,” she said.
“Get out there and do what you like doing.”
Students also visited businesses such as Carroll’s Joinery, Higgins Contractors, McCarthy’s Transport, NEER Farms, Forest Enterprises, C3 Logging, Forest 360, Kiwi Lumber, and Powershop.
YETE co-ordinator Maria Hodges said it was great to have so many businesses and a large range of industries represented.
“It is fantastic to have a large range of industries such as forestry, transport, construction, dairy farming and communications to come together to share their ideas and inspire our future leaders.
“The Big Day Out is not only hugely beneficial for students but also a great opportunity for teachers and supervisors to see how innovative industries, design and technology can be incorporated into their teaching.”
YETE project lead Trudy Sears was also very grateful to the businesses for taking part and explaining the different careers within their industries.
“For example, Richard Carroll from Carroll’s Joinery took students through the workshop where the kitchens were being made and showed them how technology was used.
“They were then shown some of the innovative ways kitchens are made now and then talked through the design process using 3D software.”
It was an opportunity for the students to see the workplaces in action and help make decisions about their future relating to subject choices.
“Without the opportunities for our young people to visit actual workplaces, it is hard for them to understand what is involved in each of these industries, or what the opportunities for success are within these industries. We hope they are inspired.”
