Dedication to vocational education was rewarded last week when Ashburton College picked up the Motor Industry Training Organisation (MITO) Secondary School of the Year Award. 

It was presented to principal Simon Coleman and automotive, technology and hard materials teacher Patrick Neal by deputy Prime Minister David Seymour at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington.

Coleman said the award was “a significant achievement for the school.

"Our award was for the innovation, forward thinking in meeting the future needs of our students in our senior automotive programmes we offer.”  

Neal said being nominated by a MITO training advisor and going on to win, proved the college was on the right track. 

"I am very proud of the students, they are the ones who won the award,” Neal said.

"You don’t know what other schools are doing, all we can do is what we think is right.”

Ashburton College Automotive Teacher Patrick Neal Left and teacher Daniel Tew background Photo: Heather Mackenzie

Coleman said that thinking had proved to be a winning formula for the technology faculty.

"The students consistently achieve near 100 per cent pass rates in MITO’s StartUp micro-credentials,” he said.

Year 13 student Millar McGrath said the automotive course had inspired his career path. 

"I have learnt how engines work by pulling bits apart and putting them back together.”

Next year, he is joining the New Zealand Air Force to study aircraft technology.

Automotive teacher Daniel Tew has been with the programme since 2020 and set up a newly completed automotive workshop added at the end of last year.

Skylah Wilson, Year 13, carrying out an oil change. Photo: Heather Mackenzie

He said 55 students, including six females, were divided into three classes studying a mixture of practical skills and theory.

“They get a taste of the different options the automotive trade can offer,” Tew said.

"By the time they leave they will be able to carry out basic car maintenance, like and oil change or pull CV joints or take a suspension to bits.” 

Teacher Daniel Tew right, keeping a watch full eye on automotive student Alex Kenure-Blackler Photo: Heather Mackenzie

Tew, who has spent his working life in the automotive industry, said in the workshop he got to see students practical strengths.
“Sometimes I can see that they are not so keen on the mechanical side, but are better at the electrical side.” 

In 2027, practical work will involve working on a small engine that does not go, he said.

"The students can fix it, turn the key and listen to it run.”