Sam McKerras says he'd be stuck in a classroom if not for the construction programme. Photo: RNZ/ Jimmy Ellingham
A Manawatū school is giving students practical help for a move into the trades after school - and it does not involve being stuck in a classroom.
At Palmerston North Boys' High School, students can come to school, clip on a tool belt and build houses.
The construction programme aims to get the teens into the industry with skills and experience.
Sam McKerras, 17, will join the programme full-time for his final year at school in 2024, after doing it alongside other subjects this year for two out of five periods a day.
He will get industry experience in construction, and on a farm.
"We've had maybe two or three fullas just from my year 12 class who have gotten apprenticeships just from being out here," he said.
"It keeps some boys in school, and the ones who want to leave, it sets them up real well so they've not going into the worksite as complete newbies. They're getting at least a little bit of experience."
School would be vastly different for the likes of McKerras if not for the construction programme, which this year involved building three portable houses for private clients.
"I'd stay for rugby, but I'd say I'd probably be stuck in a maths classroom or and English one, something like that."
McKerras said the students did everything onsite, under the tutelage of teachers, from getting the framing up to putting in windows.
Tradespeople come in for specialised tasks such as wiring, but students help with that too.
Hamish Edmunds worked on the building site this year, alongside doing work experience and studying accounting. Photo: RNZ/ Jimmy Ellingham
Hamish Edmunds, 17, agreed that spending time on a construction site, which was on the school grounds, was better for him than being in a classroom.
It was not as if the year 13 student could not cope in a classroom - he was in the school's academic programme - but he liked the practical nature of construction.
"I do the full-time one, so I'm out here five periods a day. But I did some single subjects on the side.
"This year I did university accounting. Also, I'm doing a level 3 accounting paper at the end of the year."
This year he spent four days a week - 9am to 3pm - building houses at the school, and one day a week on work experience with a local building company.
"I'd like to eventually get into the more management side of it, but I enjoy the hands-on side and that aspect as well though."
Three staff members work full-time at the site, while students in technology classrooms design and put together the kitchen and other joinery.
Richard Fogarty says students on the programme will next year construct a Kāinga Ora house. Photo: RNZ/ Jimmy Ellingham
Boys' High head of technology Richard Fogarty showed RNZ through one of the three houses the students had built, earning income for the school and earning themselves qualification through industry body BCITO.
He said the three-bedroom house was almost finished and would likely get off the site - which is actually council-owned land at the back of the school - next month.
The construction programme's developed down the years as the school caters for increasing numbers of students staying to year 13 - the old form 7 - but who don't want to go to university.
Students have built a classroom for the school, and would next year construct social housing for Kāinga Ora, Fogarty said.
If the figures are anything to go by, the programme's a success - all 17 students working onsite full-time this year had secured apprenticeships or cadetships.
"The boys love it. There are a number of students who would be quite honest and say that they wouldn't have made it to the end of their schooling if it wasn't for a course such as this.
"They can come out and work in an environment where they're outside working with trained tradespeople and getting the skills they need for industry."
Quinn Sturmey may have even left school early this year if not for the construction programme. Photo: RNZ/ Jimmy Ellingham
Quinn Sturmey, 18, said the programme kept him in school for his final year, learning a trade alongside developing a promising rugby career.
"I probably would have been thinking I'm either going to stick it out in a classroom or not come back at all and start playing club rugby," he said of his options if not for the construction programme.
"This course gives us the opportunity to get ready for something we want to do, something we're actually looking into doing."
Boys' High careers adviser David Barwick says the programme marks a chance from the school's traditional academic approach for year 13s. Photo: RNZ/ Jimmy Ellingham
School careers adviser David Barwick said students on the construction programme also spent some time in the classroom learning financial literacy, and maths and English.
"It's a big shift for our school. We're traditional - academic was the major focus, and gaining retention for university entrance and things like that.
"Over the last five years there's been a really big change for us into offering students more of a careers focus in regard going down the trade route.
"Not every student is focused on going on the traditional study path."
Next year the school will also offer an automotive engineering course.
This means more teachers such as Fogarty, with industry qualifications, will get back out into the elements.
"It's hard getting back on the tools... That's taken a little bt of getting used to, but it's allowing us to see students in a different light.
"Removing students from a class environment, you get a completely different outcome. We're happy to be out here again."
