Pre-apprentices out-build builders

BY RANDALL WALKER - KAPITI OBSERVER

It has taken a bit longer than expected and a few students have dropped off along the way, but a house built by Kapiti Skills Centre students has earned glowing praise from council building inspectors.

Seven students from the alternative education provider started building the Otaki two-bedroom timber house in August for work experience.

Students were normally placed with local builders, but the downturn in the economy dried up those opportunities, and centre trust chairman Jim Simpson offered a section in his subdivision for students to be trained on.

The house would be auctioned, with any profit going to the trust. Tutor Billy Humphries said trustees had planned for the house to be finished in November for a pre-Christmas auction, but completion was still about two weeks away, with some landscaping and interior work left.

"It's taken longer than our trustees thought it might do, but I think you've got to bear in mind that they are students, they're not apprentices. Personally, I think they've done a magnificent job."

The students had received "really good comments" from Kapiti Coast District Council inspectors, he said.

"They've told us that, for quite a lot of work that they've done, they've left the job better than they've seen some tradesmen leave jobs. I was really impressed with that."

Mr Humphries spent three months teaching the students theory for their unit standards before they started planning the house. The students worked on all aspects of the project: design, getting consents, working out materials, pricing, and selecting fixtures and fittings.

Since cladding the house, four students had left for various reasons, which had slowed the work, and the weather had also caused delays. Mr Humphries said every stage of the project had been a learning experience.

"I'm glad everything hasn't been absolutely ideal, because it gives them a much truer perspective of the building industry."

A new student had joined the team this year.

Mr Humphries said the students had got a lot out of the process.

Last week he approached the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation about promoting the three remaining students from last year to builders for apprenticeships.

The students said building a house from scratch had been the ultimate in work experience, and hoped it would lead to apprenticeships.

Marcel Austmann, 22, said being involved in every aspect of the process was as close as it was possible to get to being a builder and had exceeded previous work experience.

"I've learnt so much from it this year. You could never learn that in a classroom or reading about it.

"It's been an incredible opportunity. This whole project has just made me realise this is definitely what I want to do."

He said they had gained from every stage of the project, learning to think about steps by themselves and to rely on themselves. "Billy just watches from the back and if he knows something's wrong he'll come in and make sure we do it right."

Toby Wright said the fact they all participated in all phases, including the design, was a unique experience.

"I'm a hell of a lot more confident doing some of these things by myself now."

He said the students spent longer on some things than normal, but they made sure they did it right.

They had also ended up doing the landscaping, which was not part of the original plan.

He had started work on a CV, including a portfolio of his progress through the house job.

Nash King said it was a "great opportunity to learn what I want to do", and every day had been a learning experience.

The students would graduate with a building construction and allied trade certificate.

Mr Humphries expected the house to be auctioned in the next four to six weeks.