New focus for students

Five of the 50 young people enrolled in the Government's new Youth Guarantee education programme at Otago Polytechnic take part in a team-building day at Chingford Park. Giving classmate Josh Williams (17) a rest are (from left) Ricky Muir (16), Dave Burlingham (17), Patrick Tocher (17) and Matt Roe (16), all of Dunedin. Photo by Gregor Richardson.

This year, they have swapped the classroom for places at Otago Polytechnic.

The teenagers are part of the polytechnic's first intake under the Government's Youth Guarantee scheme, introduced this year to keep 16 and 17-year-olds not succeeding at secondary school in some form of education.

Funding has been provided for 2000 places nationwide, 84 of which are at Otago.

The five teens are enrolled in a one-year automotive engineering and mechanical engineering course.

Attending an orientation day this week, with more than 100 other students from the automotive and mechanical engineering department, they said they were looking forward to their year and expected it would be "better than school".

All said their goals were to complete their course and try to find apprenticeships next year.

Polytechnic marketing, communication and customer relations general manager Mike Waddell yesterday said Youth Guarantee students were being enrolled in many departments including foundation studies, foundation trades studies, cookery, business administration and horticulture.

All had been provided with individual learning plans, a project-based curriculum and a mentor.

About 50 students had enrolled so far, he said.

Some would not begin their classes until next month and further teenagers were being recruited for a mid-year intake.

The polytechnic had planned to accept up to 30 Youth Guarantee students at the Cromwell campus, but Mr Waddell said there did not appear to be a need for a programme there as secondary schools in Central Otago were already offering pupils flexible learning opportunities.

- allison.rudd@odt.co.nz