BCITO Build-Ability Challenge winners announced

BCITO Build-Ability Challenge winners announced

Manawatu’s Feilding High School has been named the Supreme Winner of the BCITO Build-Ability Challenge.

Open to secondary-school students nationwide, Build-Ability was aimed at pupils with skills in technology, who may be interested in pursuing a career in New Zealand’s booming building and construction industry.

Students were briefed to plan, design, cost and build a dual-purpose sandpit for their community, including meeting with potential clients and merchants, and documenting their progress with online blogging on www.buildability.co.nz throughout July and August.

Feilding High School was announced the Supreme Winner for the most innovative and well-built project, winning a $1000 voucher for the school’s technology department, the BCITO Build-Ability 2014 Trophy and individual prize packs including a smartphone for each member of the team.

The judges at BCITO National Office said the team presented a very well documented and highly innovative project that blew them away.

“We were very impressed by the level of professionalism, teamwork and skill shown by all schools, but Feilding had the edge. They produced a slick and detailed record of work that showed the entire planning and build process.”

Manurewa High School was awarded the Best Video Entry, receiving a GoPro camera for their school, and all schools received a $300 team shout.

“We loved the Manurewa blog,” judges said. “It was well thought-out, told a story and was by far the most engaging we saw. This is what we wanted to see in a blog!

“The quality of workmanship and creative thinking that has gone into the projects submitted for this year’s Build-Ability Challenge is pleasing to see. If any of the winning team members enter the construction industry upon leaving school, they are well-placed to succeed in their first year as an apprentice,” they said.

Like the name suggests, Build-Ability aimed to challenge students and required teams to excel in both aptitude and attitude – thinking creatively, working collaboratively and creating thoughtfully. With an emphasis on inquiry learning, the challenge provided students with an opportunity to take ownership of their project and their learning.

The challenge allowed students to hone their building skills and also gave them an insight into working in the construction industry.

Build-Ability also provided students with a chance to be the heroes of their school campus and local community with a focus on giving back. Creating projects to raise money for local community groups, students developed self-confidence, self-esteem and a sense of ambassadorship for their school.

Each team was mentored by teachers and supported by BCITO Skills Brokers.

BCITO will be running the Build-Ability Challenge again in 2015 on a larger scale with 25 schools being selected to participate.

The teams who participated in the 2014 Build-Ability Challenge were: Feilding High School, Manurewa High, Rosehill College, Morrinsville College, Matamata College, Opotiki College, Awatapu College and Central Hawkes Bay College.
To see the Build-Ability Challenge in action go to http://buildability.co.nz/ and for more information about the BCITO visit http://www.bcito.org.nz/.