PROUD students of the TAFE carpentry pre-apprentice course opened the door to a small housing unit they constructed for teacher accommodation in the outback.
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The one-bedroom unit will soon make its way on the back of a truck to the township of Wanaaring where it will be used as casual teacher accommodation.
The building's frame was constructed by the students and local sub-contractors were called into finish the gyprocking, plastering and plumbing.
Student Erin Miller said she had learnt a lot from the course.
She said while she was unsure if a carpentry apprenticeship would be pursued in her immediate future, she felt at the very least she had learned practical skills she would be able to use in a variety of workplaces.
"I really had to push myself in this course and I lost 10 kilograms in the process," she said.
The students' participation in the construction project allowed them to develop their carpentry skills and provides on-site practical experience in carpentry as well as an opportunity to work alongside associated trades.
The students completed units of competencies as a part of a Certificate III in Carpentry.
They completed training in floor framing, wall framing, truss erection, exterior cladding, facia, eaves and internal linings. They also gained experience in scaffolding, internal fit-out including fitting doors and windows, architrave, cupboard installation. Students are working alongside, plumbers, electricians, plasterers, floor and wall tilers and painters, giving them exposure to other trade areas and an awareness of construction scheduling and programming of work.
The students gained the skills and work ethic essential in the construction industry, a TAFE instructor said.
In completing the same units required in a carpentry apprenticeship, the students gain an advantage when applying for work in carpentry or in related trade areas.
Local contractors and suppliers were involved in the project with all the materials to build the house sought locally.
The following suppliers participated in the project: Harnett Transportable Homes, Astleys Hardware, Betta Frames & Truss, Bender's Kitchens, Blueline Heating & Cooling, Jeff Temesvary Electrical, Western Plains Windows & Doors, Central West Gates & Fencing, Bink's Plumbing, Dubbo Powder Coating, Kool Trend Curtains & Blinds, Crampton's Carpets, JM Cook Engineers, Natural Tiling, Ray Boden Painters & Decorators and Dawson's Plaster Works.
lisa.minner@ruralpress.com
