New Dunedin Specialist Trades School Boosts Options For Local Apprentices

An industry-leading trades training facility opened by Mayor Jules Radich in Ōtepoti Dunedin today will create exciting new opportunities for aspiring electrical and plumbing trades in the region.

The first of its kind in New Zealand, the Skills Group Skills Hub incorporates a three-trades model, housing the Group’s three specialist trades brands—Etco for apprentice and electrical training, Industry Connection for Excellence (ICE) for plumbing, gasfitting, and drain laying apprentice training, and E-tec for advanced electrical training.

The Bradford-based hub is located in the former Tamahine Knitwear factory that initially opened in 1970, and utilising the same building footprint, the education institution is designed to accommodate up to 140 apprentices at once. The newly modernised campus will supercharge trades training in the area – and, as the only Level 4 apprenticeship training facility in Dunedin, will eliminate the need for apprentices to travel to Invercargill or Christchurch for Level 4 training.

Skills Group Director of Specialist Trades, Ben Stevens, says the Group is delighted to support Dunedin and the Central Otago area by giving South Island-based apprentices and their employers more training choices with less travel.

“This is a real positive for the region and will help meet the significant apprentice training demand across the South Island,” says Stevens. “It's great to have a presence here and create something new, something modern, using the best quality gear and technology so that we can equip our apprentices for success.”

ICE General Manager Antony Russell says the extensively renovated campus will offer state-of-the-art, purpose-built training facilities, with industry-standard equipment including large roofed drainlaying pits, modular bathroom pods, new hand and battery tools, new workshop equipment, multiple 4+ assessment sets for each task, large bright touch-enabled displays and class sets of laptops.

AI will also be front and centre.

“The online component of our programmes includes additional learning activities featuring videos, animations, and interactive scenarios to support trainees' knowledge development,” explains Russell. “We are also initiating a new project to explore the potential of augmented reality devices for gathering evidence during on-the-job assessments.”

Tutors will come directly from industry and have extensive on-the-job experience, ensuring apprentices gain all the skills they need to succeed in the sector.

Skills Group’s first specialist trades school looks set to change the landscape for South Island tradies. Apprentices and electrical and plumbing employers will have even greater choices with opening a second three trades campus in Hornby in Ōtautahi Christchurch in September.

“We are thrilled to be moving another step ahead in our long-term vision of being the leader in providing quality specialist trades training. Our world-class South Island hubs will more effectively support our apprentices, employers and the industry,” said Stevens.

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