The Trades Academy 2026 project began with the delivery of a second end-of-life house purchased for $1.00 from Kianga Ora. This house will now be refurbished by the college’s Level 2 and 3 Trade Academy students who will be working alongside many qualified tradespeople to ensure that the house meets consent. The main purpose of this project is to give students hands-on experience in the different trades. It allows students to learn onsite in an authentic work environment while building practical skills for future careers. The project also encourages community collaboration and aims to demonstrate high quality building practices and innovative construction methods. Last year’s project was completed successfully and gained strong public interest and extensive media attention. 

This year, the focus has expanded to include solar sustainability. Students will work with Future Energy to install solar systems, allowing the house to produce more electricity than it uses. This will result in long term energy savings for the home owner and help students understand environmentally friendly building practices. Trades Academy Director Ms McKeon thanked the sponsors for their continued support, highlighting the value of real-life experience for students. She added, “We are so grateful to our sponsors who are back for another year working on another project to give our students the incredible gift of giving them real life experience of the building trade.” Principal Mr Coughlan who is an enthusiastic supporter of the project said, “After the success of completing our first redevelopment last year, we are embarking on the redevelopment of another '$1' house. Over the course of this year, the house will be transformed into a Home Star level family home by our Trades Academy students, setting them up for a pathway into an apprenticeship.”

SALWA KAMBL & DIYA NEGI - NEWS MEDIA TEAM