‘We helped build this fale’: College students learn trades in $1 house

The school bell rings, and the high-vis vests go on.

It’s Period 4 at One Tree Hill College and several Year 13 students are surveying their handiwork.

“I did this," says Waisiki Nadurutaloa (Taveuni, Fiji), proudly showing the squares of insulation along the inside window frame.

“You use a tape measure, mark it out, and cut it with a saw, make sure it’s not loose.”

They’re standing inside the Auckland school’s $1 investment, an ex-state house that was relocated from Māngere East to be used as an onsite building project.

The house arrived on four wheels from Lavinia Cres in Māngere East. Photo/Supplied

The three-bedroom house is more than halfway finished, said Imroz Ali (Rarotonga and Aitutaki, Cook Islands), who explained they are waiting on council sign-off before the bathroom arrives today.

“We’re just waiting for the insulation to get certified, then we’re going to start gibbing up the walls.”

Elijah Lindsay (Rarotonga, Cook Islands) couldn’t help taking control of the microphone and provided rolling commentary.

“We put an ecoply barrier wall up, super efficient," as he rapped on the wood.

The house has qualified tradespeople that work around the students and will be brought up to HomeStar level 7 accreditation before it goes to auction in late November/early December.

Ali pointed out the features as he led the group around the scaffolding.

“It’s a house from the 1970s. They replaced the walls, they put new weatherboards, three coats of paint, installed new windows because the windows that were on the house before had gaps so it got cold.”

Learning on the job

There are limited slots for the school’s Trades Academy, where students can learn to use the tools and earn a third of their credits for NCEA Level 3 while gaining experience in the building and construction sector.

Sosaia ‘Ofakineiafu (Kolomotu’a, Tonga) is keeping his options open but hopes the work experience he’s currently doing will lead to bigger things.

“I’m hoping to get my apprenticeship for carpentry, and I want to do rugby at the same time, playing for College Rifles.”

A quick debrief from Trade Academy head Charlotte McKeon in the workshop. Photo/PMN News - Khalia Strong

Sports is a common theme, but Nadurutaloa said his family and the Academy have changed his outlook.

“I didn’t want to do trades, I wanted to be a rugby player. Even though I didn’t want to do it in the first place, they convinced me, and now I love it.

“It helped me learn new things I hadn’t learned before, like how to use new tools.”

For Ali, he’s taken a shine to glazing, but said it took some persuading for his family to see the value in the programme.

“At first, they weren’t keen on me doing it, they just said it was a waste of time, they just wanted me to go to uni and become a nurse.

“[But] now, they’re actually confident in me. They’re proud. They encourage me to take opportunities.”

Trade Academy head Charlotte McKeon told Onehunga Community News the students are receiving comprehensive training.

“They are not only learning about the building code, but also practices that exceed it. We are committed to teaching them at the highest level, so they are well prepared when they begin their future apprenticeships.”

McKeon said the project relied on the generosity of key sponsors, but they hoped to get enough from the auction to make the ongoing project self-funded.

The school has enough houses lined up for the next 10 years, and the aim is to complete one per year.