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.

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. 

Courses 

This programme has a credit range of 60-120.

Course Description Credits
Trade Skills 1

Develop preliminary skills and knowledge for working in the construction industry.

15
Trade Skills 2

Enhance your trade skills knowledge and gain practical experience on a construction site or in a construction-related industry.

30
Foundations

Learn how to set out and prepare to construct foundation structures (up to and including floor level) using specified materials.

15
Structures

Gain an understanding of how to construct walls and roofs using specified materials.

30
Exterior Claddings

Develop an understanding of how to install external cladding and roofing to a structure using specified materials.

15
Interior Lining

Learn how to install interior linings, trim, fixtures and fittings using specified materials while working with others in a safe working environment.

15

We are part of Te Pūkenga

When you apply to study with Otago Polytechnic, you will be enrolled with Te Pūkenga, the new national network of vocational and applied education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn in the same way, in the same place, and with the same people, and you will graduate with a Te Pūkenga qualification.

Disclaimer

While every effort is made to ensure that this sheet is accurate, Otago Polytechnic reserves the right to amend, alter or withdraw any of the contained information. The fees shown in this document are indicative only. Both domestic and international fees are subject to change and are dependent on the development and implementation of Government policies. Please note that additional fees may from time to time be required for external examination, NZQA fees and/or additional material fees.