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.