Infrastructure Training Park gets ready for construction

The WITT Infrastructure Training Park is now ready for construction to begin after members of iwi groups, the New Plymouth District Council and WITT staff gathered to bless the new training park in Bell Block on Saturday 14 May.

The training park aims to help address the skills and capability gap within the civil construction sector by providing a simulated work-site for ākonga to hone their civil infrastructure work skills.

Dave Hudson Infrastructure Park Project Management has been working behind the scene to get ready for construction, and is excited about the progress of the park.

“It’s rewarding to see the concept of the Infrastructure Park coming to life. It’s is a great initiative, not only will it help address the regional and national wide skills shortage, it allows our ākonga to get practical experience.”

Dave is ready for students to start experiencing the benefits the training park will offer. 

“You cannot better prepare to work in an industry than to train in a practical environment that mirrors the real world.”

Dave was extremely grateful to all the WITT staff, iwi members, and council members that came to the site karakia and blessing.

Anaru Wilkie, a trustee for Puketapū Hapu, is looking forward to the new relationship between WITT and Puketapu Hapu.

“We have more and more education providers coming into the hapu and it’s important to me to support the kaupapa and build strong relationships with all our providers.”

Like Anaru the chairperson of Puketapu Hapu Teresa is excited to see how the relationship between iwi and WITT is going to continue to develop.

“I am really pleased and heart-warmed to be a part of this project and I love that it is around education. It’s lovely to see what is happening here, especially with the upskilling and learning towards a skills shortage,” she said.

Andrew, who works for the New Plymouth District Council, has also been working behind the scenes alongside Dave and is ready to see the park take shape.

“I am looking forward to seeing the outputs and the benefits of the park. I think it is a great initiative and will help to address the skills shortage for the Taranaki region and the whole country.