Trade courses growing at Waiariki

Galatea's Emily Allen believes learning a trade will set her up well for the future, as she follows her dream of becoming an aircraft engineer.

Waiariki Institute of Technology's School of Trade Training had its biggest intake of students this year.

Ms Allen is one of 32 students on the one-year welding and fabrication course, which leads into all sorts of welding and engineering opportunities.

"A trade gives you a good grounding, that's why I did it. There will always be something for me to do."

She said after high school she was not 100 per cent sure what she wanted to do, but thought she could not go wrong with a trade.

Ms Allen said she had even thought of doing aircraft engineering in the future.

School of Trade Training director Kevin Uncles said the welding and fabrication course was so popular this year they had to make two classes instead of one.

"Every trade is absolutely full," he said.

"We are having to take waiting lists and our second term is filling up as well."

He said the trades school had been growing each year and they now had the most trade students in the institute's history. Mr Uncles said he estimated about 1500 students would come through the School of Trade Training this year.

"I think a trade opens a door for lifelong employment," he said. "It is a great lifestyle as well. If you look at a lot of trades people, after five years they go on and own their own business, and you can use your trade all over the world."

He said the most popular courses this year included automotive, fabrication and welding, professional cookery, beauty, electrical, engineering and carpentry. Most courses at Waiariki begin today with orientation.