Kai Cart made by students will be a café feature

WITT kaimahi and ākonga will have access to free fresh produce on campus next year – thanks to the nifty Kai Cart built by local high school students.

The group of 11 from high schools around Taranaki enrolled in the Build a Bach programme run through WITT’s Trade Academy as part of its Secondary Tertiary Pathways (STP) scheme. Together, they’ve built two sleep-outs as well as the wooden Kai Cart.

Students attend WITT tuition for three days with two days at school and can gain level 2 credits on completion of the course.

Tutor Campbell Bower said the Kai Cart project was sparked after he heard of staff members having extra homegrown vegetables and produce that would otherwise go to waste, “so I was keen on the idea to save anything that was still useable.”

After finding an image of a wooden cart online, students worked on a design, sourced materials and built the structure by applying skills, techniques and tools they’ve developed at WITT’s carpentry workshop throughout the year. They even crafted wooden wheels fitted out with a metal frame so it can be moved around the campus.

The plan is to install the cart in Te Kauta Café next year so that staff and students can bring excess homegrown produce for others to take home or swap.

Team build

Working with their hands to learn how to use a range of tools and equipment such as drop saws, drills, sanding machines and nail guns to make useful things has been fulfiling, the students say. They are all proud of the things they’ve built over the year.

Ezra Hiri says maths and measurement was a challenge but applying it to a building project helped his learning.  He also enjoyed “getting to know the materials and what they can and can’t be used for – like wood, glass, iron, insulation materials.”

The experience has given him a taste of being a builder. He’s still weighing up what he wants to do when he finishes school but is keen to make a kick boxing bag stand next.

Charley Lahmert and Sequoia Wilson, the only two women in the class, enjoyed the group dynamic. “We all get along and we have some laughs,” says Charley. “When I started, I didn’t think I’d be able to build a shed. We did it!”

“Completing this construction course has equipped students with valuable skills that go beyond building structures,” says Campbell. “It builds their futures. Through hands-on experience, they learn teamwork, problem-solving, and time management – all essential life skills.”

“Working in a construction environment teaches them resilience, as projects often face unexpected challenges. They’ve all gained confidence using tools and understanding technical aspects of construction, which opens doors to potential careers in the trades. Beyond the practical skills, these students develop a sense of accomplishment and responsibility that will serve them in any path they choose, making them well-rounded, capable individuals ready for success.”

Caption: Students on the Build a Bach programme in front of the two sleep-outs they built this year, and (below) – Students with the Kai Cart, destined for Te Kauta Café (tutor Campbell Bower is second from left, front row).