Free education oh so close | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Wanganui City College Year 13 student Mark Wyatt is thrilled to make the cut as part of the first intake of students in UCOL's new trades academy programme.

He was chosen as one of 20 Wanganui Year 12 and 13 students to study towards an engineering or joinery trades certificate while still at school.

Interested students were interviewed this week to get the chance to earn a trades or technology qualification through UCOL - at no cost.

Mark said he was really hoping he would get in because it would be a boost for him once he leaves school at the end of the year.

"Because I will not only have my NCEA qualifications I will have engineering trade certificate level 2 which is amazing."

Wanganui City College head of technology Chris Donaldson described the new U-Skills programme as fantastic.

"I really think it is brilliant for these young people," Mr Donaldson said.

But not everyone who applied made it in.

"We needed students we knew would be completely committed and would give it their all because they will have quite a workload ahead of them. We did turn some students down," he said.

The students who made it will come under the U-Skills Central School Academy, which is the Government's new trade academy run by UCOL. The programme is in partnership with local schools. In Wanganui, engineering and joinery pre-trade qualifications are being offered this year.

The places were available to Wanganui students in Year 12 and 13 who were studying for NCEA Level 2 and also wanted to gain a tertiary pre-trade qualification.

This year the academy hub school, Wanganui City College, is hosting two U-Skills programmes: engineering and joinery.

The engineering and joinery training will be provided for one day or eight hours a week at UCOL and in blocks across the week at Wanganui City College, with the other days spent at students' usual schools studying towards NCEA.

U-Skills manager Jacqui Phillips said the programme meant young people received a huge career boost. "It's an opportunity for young people to get tertiary level training to start them on their chosen career path," Ms Phillips said.

The students will also have contact with local employers and can undertake work experience.

"They can still enjoy their school environment and keep their friends, cultural and sporting activities, while experiencing study at a tertiary level and starting to build a career at the same time," she said.