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Every Friday throughout the year, a group of Year 11 and 12 students have traded their school classrooms for the construction workshop at NMIT’s Richmond campus. They're part of the NMIT Trades Academy Carpentry programme, and this year, their skills have built something special for the community: a handcrafted playhouse for Tāhunanui Kindergarten.
The programme, taught by NMIT Carpentry tutor and Apprenticeship Coordinator Kayne Thompson, gives secondary school students from across Te Tauihu a solid foundation in construction skills.
“They learn the basics: hand and power tool use, teamwork, quantifying the materials and technical drawing,” says Kayne. “Each project builds on the last - we scaffold up through basic projects, leading up to the main project. These students started with sawhorses, moved on to model houses, and finished with the main project - the playhouses.”
The project is more than a learning exercise. It’s also a way for students to see how their work can have a real impact. The playhouse, now at its new home at Tāhunanui Kindergarten, showcases the teamwork, precision, and pride that goes into carpentry.
Kaiako Megan from Tāhunanui Kindergarten said the playhouse, which features the kindergarten's own Kowhaiwhai design, is already very popular.
“Our children were so excited to arrive at kindy to find the new playhouse! We can store toys in the side buckets for easy access and there has been plenty of creative play in and around the house already. It’s an awesome new addition to our kindergarten.”
ITM Nelson is a long-standing partner with NMIT and plays a crucial role in supporting the programme, providing materials and discounts that make these projects possible.
“We want to give back to the industry and help these young people get started,” says Robbie Harlen from ITM. “When they become apprentices, they already know where to come for tools and advice.”
For students like Biddy Thomas from Motueka High School, the experience has been transformative.
“I’ve always liked using my hands and have studied woodworking at school,” she says. “I’ve definitely improved my skills – learning how to use tools and everything else that’s needed for construction projects, like measuring and ordering materials.”
“My favourite part of the programme has been building the playhouses - learning how houses are constructed from the ground up. We’ve all had to learn how to work together; we divvy up the tasks and focus on our own bits to build.”
Biddy travels from Motueka each Friday to attend the programme and plans to continue her training next year in NMIT’s Pre-trade Construction programme, with hopes of becoming a qualified builder.
“The tutors here are so trusting,” she says. “They show you how to do something, let you get on with it, and if you muck up, they help you figure out what went wrong so you can fix it.”
For Kayne, seeing students like Biddy take that next step is what makes it worthwhile.
“This is the fourth year we’ve run the Trades Academy programme and each year we see more students go from Trades Academy into pre-trade study or straight into apprenticeships,” he says. “They come with a range of skill levels; it’s great to see them build their confidence through the year.”
