A new building class, which started this year, has students clocking in to build a tiny house on campus from scratch.
Twelve students put their bookbags down, their tool belts on, and take part in a fully immersive course with real, practical applications to their skills.
The course is headed by teacher Kieran Henry, who moved into a teaching role after 12 years working as a builder.
As Mr Henry moved through the building and construction world, he said he really grew into helping mentor and aid apprentices, finding great results and satisfaction from this role.
Coming from a family of teachers, he felt called to follow the family trade, and rather than leave building behind, he brought it to Māruawai College.
Mr Henry said it was a good way to bring students’ skill levels up, without some of the pressures of an apprenticeship.
"It’s definitely a safer stepping stone of an environment to be learning in. I’m very much a ‘mistakes can be fixed, no big deal’ [teacher].
"Out on the trades, it’s getting better but it can be a little more on the extreme end at times," he said.
The students are now looking at a tiny house built entirely from scratch, in the hours they spent out there in between other classes.
"They’re getting all-round exposure to every part of building, and all the subtrades."
At the end of the year, the plan is to sell the tiny house with the proceeds going right back into the class, with another intake of students for next year.
This was not just a schoolyard job either, as Mr Henry said not only had his class done a brilliant job, but it was a real-deal tiny house.
"This has been built with love and care. I’m extremely proud of all these students. I thought there would have been more fixing up, but they listen really well.
"What they’ve put together is incredible. I’d be proud of put my name to it as a builder," he said.
The board funded the project this year, with the hope that it becomes financially self-sufficient and grows to be able to produce more than one project in a year.
If it continues to scale up, Mr Henry hopes to be able to buy tools to allow the students more opportunity in the future, potentially building full-sized houses.
Mr Henry thanked local businesses and tradespeople for helping the programme.
It was remarkble to him just how quickly Gore jumped on board, donating material goods, tools, time and expertise, all to help the programme thrive, and he was extremely grateful.
