Building was always something Chevron Murray thought would be a good job but it wasn’t until he went online and found a course at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that he did anything about it.

So last year he signed up for the NZ Certificate in Construction Trades (Carpentry) Level 3 programme and is now completing the first year of his apprenticeship with Hawkes Bay construction company Stead Construction.

A career in the building industry had “always been at the back of my mind,” Chevron says.

“It was pretty much always something I wanted to do.”

The year-long course provides students with the basic skills and knowledge to begin a career in building and construction. As part of the programme, students contribute to the construction of a relocatable house, which is sold on completion.

By the end of the course students are ready to undertake an apprenticeship and Chevron says he’s glad to have the opportunity to kickstart his career and is enjoying being part of the workforce.

“It is a big change, you’ve got a little bit more responsilibility,” he says.

Rather than working on a relocatable home, Chevron is now helping build a 36-block apartment complex.

During the course, Chevron was also a recipient of the Maori Pacific Trades Training scholarship and is entitled to $1000 tool grant, which he says he’s looking forward to receiving. 

“That will help out a lot,” he says.