L to R: Lee Baglow, Head of School, Unitec; Nick Seymour, Programme Director Delivery, Kāinga Ora; Nick Sheppard, Deputy Chief Executive Schools and Performance, Unitec; Patrick Dougherty, General Manager Construction and Innovation Kāinga Ora; Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, Deputy Chief Executive Pasifika, Partnership and Support, Unitec; Pip Schollum-Manase, Manukau Institute of Technology Tech Park Manager; and Jake Curran, Programme Manager Trades and Services, Unitec.
Unitec Students gained practical building experience through providing Kāinga Ora with safe and secure houses for whānau.
A five-bedroom home built by our students will soon be on its way to a site in Kaiti for a whānau based in Te Tairāwhiti.
The home is the outcome of a partnership between Unitec and Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities to build four relocatable whare (houses) for families in Aotearoa. Another three, two-bedroom homes are being transported to Ōpōtiki.
Kāinga Ora General Manager of Construction and Innovation Patrick Dougherty said the joint venture was a great opportunity to create a lasting legacy by delivering quality homes where there is an immense need.
“It’s important to remember that it’s about creating homes and communities, and not just houses. The homes are warm, dry, healthy homes built to 6 Homestar quality standards. It’s great to know that the quality that we need to have in our homes is being taught at Unitec School of Trades and Services – Carpentry.”
Under the partnership, students are building homes on our campus, supervised by Unitec lecturer and project manager Joseph Pitovao.
Once the home is on site, local Gisborne contractor Te Pae Hākari will prepare the home and nsure its prepared for a whānau to move into. This is likely to take 3 to 4 months.
Kāinga Ora will then match the home to a whānau on the Ministry of Social Development’s Housing Register with the highest priority for a home of that size and in that location.
This is great to see!