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He Toki Carpentry Trades Training

If you are Māori or Pasifika, are 16-40 years old, and want to learn and earn in a practical, hands-on environment consider our He Toki pathway. With He Toki, you will be supported to gain a New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trade Skills (Level 3) in Carpentry but with a difference. You’ll get a unique and empowering learning experience that has te reo, tikaka and mentorship at the heart of everything.

Domestic
Duration
1 Year Full-time
Level
3
Credits
120
Fees
Free*
*Due to He Toki funding (limited places available) - see Fees section for more info.
Delivery
On campus
Location
Dunedin
Intakes
February
Apply Now
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About the programme

Get the skills and support you need to succeed in the construction industry in Te Waipounamu.

With He Toki, you'll be supported to gain a New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trade Skills (Level 3) in carpentry - but with a difference. You’ll get a unique and empowering learning experience that has te reo, tikaka and mentorship at the heart of everything. 

Talk to us if you:

  • identify as Māori or Pasifika, 
  • are 16-40 years old, 
  • want to learn and earn in a practical, hands-on environment and 
  • want a rewarding career in carpentry. 
He Toki is more than a study pathway – it's a journey with a support network

He Toki supports whānau to gain skills and qualifications, connect with iwi and explore industry opportunities - with the goal of securing wealth-enriching futures for Māori and Pasifika. 

He Toki’s strengths are in building relationships and offering a personalised and encouraging approach to learning, to ensure that you have a sustainable study/life balance.

  • It challenges traditional teaching methods. 
  • It arms people with practical and employable skills in a required trade.
  • It embeds te reo and tikaka into day-to-day operations. 
  • It applies an ako/tuakana-teina approach to offer guidance and mentorship with a Māori-specific context. 
Why you should join He Toki for your carpentry training

He Toki aims to enrich carpentry trades education to grow the Māori and Pasifika workforce. It brings together iwi, industry, educational institutions, community organisations and government agencies.

Since it was established in 2011, He Toki has prepared over 1000 trainees for jobs in the trades sector.

Now is the time to start your career in carpentry. 

Carpentry is about constructing and maintaining buildings. There are big construction projects happening in Dunedin and Central Otago, so there is a high demand for qualified carpenters. 

This programme gives you the work-ready skills to enter the construction trades as an apprentice carpenter working under supervision. 

With additional training and/or experience, you could become a carpenter, junior and senior foreperson, or be self-employed. 

During your studies you will enjoy hands-on training in our workshops and the chance to be involved in real-world, community-based building projects – which will lead to you gaining knowledge about health and safety, trade calculations and hand tools. 

What you study
Workload
Entry
Fees
Application

Courses

Workplace Safety Fundamentals (15 credits)
  • Explain legislation relevant to specific tasks in the construction trades industry. 
  • Apply safe working practices when completing tasks in a construction trades environment. 
  • Maintain a safe work environment for the duration of construction trades tasks. 
Core Construction and Communication Skills (15 credits)
  • Interpret basic drawings and specifications to complete simple tasks for construction trades. 
  • Perform calculations to solve simple problems relevant to a construction trades environment. 
  • Demonstrate effective communication, with colleagues and customers, appropriate for the construction trades environment. 
Preliminary Works for Construction (15 credits)
  • Prepare a building site under supervision to meet plans and specifications for a construction project. 
  • Identify sub-contractors' roles in construction projects.
Support Structures for Building Work (15 credits)
  • Identify the fundamentals of support structures and floor systems for building work. 
  • Construct basic support structures and floor systems under supervision in line with plans and specifications for a building project. 
Wall Structures for Building Work (15 credits)
  • Fabricate and erect framed wall structures in line with plans and specifications for a building project. 
  • Employ safe working practices when handling construction materials on building sites. 
Roof Structures for Building Work (15 credits)
  • Erect framed roofing structures in line with plans and specifications for a building project. 
  • Maintain a safe work environment for roofing work on a building project. 
Exterior Envelope (15 credits)
  • Install a range of external cladding and accessories in line with plans and specifications for exterior envelope projects.
  • Describe the preparation and installation of roofing material for exterior envelope projects. 
Interior Linings and Finishings (15 credits)
  • Install interior linings and trim in line with plans and specifications for a building project. 
  • Install a range of building hardware and door furniture using manufacturers specifications and best practice in a building project.