Off-road buggies being built at Otago Polytechnic could hold the key to a brighter future for a group of automotive students who learn much more effectively in the workshop than in the classroom.
Tertiary Education Minister Stephen Joyce this week visited the polytechnic, including the mechanical and automotive workshops where its Youth Guarantee automotive programme is running.
The Government's Youth Guarantee initiative began this year and aims to improve the educational achievements of targeted 16- and 17-year-olds by enabling them to take vocational courses free of charge.
Many of the youngsters are early school-leavers, who had limited success at secondary school.
Mr Joyce asked class representative Hamish Dawson (17) whether he missed the school classroom.
"No," he replied.
Hamish enjoyed learning by doing.
He had gained welding and other skills which would help him gain work in the future.
Eighteen young people are taking part in the polytechnic's Youth Guarantee automotive scheme this year and, if they succeed, will gain level-three national certificates in mechanical engineering and in automotive trade skills.
Polytechnic tutor Rex Turner told Mr Joyce all the students remained in the programme.
Mr Turner was "pretty blown away" by the advanced level of achievement by the young students, who were learning almost exclusively in the workshop.
The students, divided into three teams, are building three water-cooled 250cc buggies, which are being equipped with roll cages and seat belts.
They have to be completed by October in order to take part in the annual Grass Kart Challenge, involving motorised karts built at many Otago and Southland secondary schools.
