Students paint their way to a career

Students paint their way to a career

Every playhouse needs proper protection. After all, it’s home to precious cargo.

And that’s why Dulux NZ is supporting the annual Build-Ability Challenge where 26 New Zealand schools compete in the BCITO’s* competition to promote building and construction as a career.

In the 2015 challenge, school teams of up to five students have to build, paint and decorate a playhouse to defined specifications including a distinctive theme.

Because the playhouses will be gifted to local community groups after the challenge, they need to be able to stand up to the elements. And that means they need to be safe, fit-for-purpose and showcase the construction skills of each team.

Dulux Trade Brand Manager, Lisa Maathuis, says Dulux is delighted to be involved in this great project.

“Our partnership with BCITO is designed to help the construction industry develop skills amongst young people and encourage them to consider the sector as a career path.

The Build-Ability Challenge is a key part of BCITO’s strategy to promote building and construction careers to secondary school students. The winning team takes home $1,000 for its school technology department.

BCTIO Chief Executive Ruma Karaitiana says there is a persistent shortage of young people considering education in a whole range of areas within the construction sector.

“The Build-Ability Challenge helps raise awareness of the incredible opportunities available in the industry. School leavers starting an apprenticeship can be confident they won’t struggle to get established in the industry – the opportunities for them are endless.”

Each school competing in the Build-Ability Challenge is mentored by its technology teacher and supported by a BCITO Skills Broker. Each team is blogging about progress over the four months of the challenge, and the ‘People’s Choice’ winner will be selected by the public via buildability.co.nz.

Judges are on the look-out for creativity this year to support the new partnerships with Master Painters and Dulux NZ. Out of the 14 trades that BCITO offers, painting and decorating holds the second largest intake of apprentices.

The Challenge’s build phase runs until 14 August, before judging and voting for the ‘People’s Choice Award’ takes place.

The schools competing in the 2015 BCITO Build-Ability Challenge are:

Awatapu College Central Hawkes Bay College Dannevirke High School
Feilding High School Forest View High School Howick College
Kaikorai Valley College Kamo High School Kerikeri High School
Manurewa High School Middleton Grange School Opotiki College
Otahuhu College Queen Charlotte College Riccarton High School
Rosehill College South Otago High School Rotorua Boys High School
Takapuna Grammar School Tamatea High School Tararua College
Thames High School Tuakau College Waiopehu College
Waitara High School Waiuku College

*Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation

ENDS

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