Christchurch Prison’s Youth Unit is giving young offenders a foothold in the automotive industry through a new programme’s innovative approach to training.
New Zealand Career College Automotive Tutor Bernie Blanken is teaching the boys how to work things out for themselves, rather than showing them how a specific problem is solved.
Based full-time at Christchurch Prison’s Youth Unit, he teaches the offenders how to read and follow an instruction manual, rather than showing them how to complete a task such as taking apart a gearbox.
“The automotive programme gives those who love cars but are not good at reading a good reason to learn to read and to learn basic maths and comprehension,” Bernie says.
“Combining the practical tasks with theory lessons seems to suit the way many boys learn best.”
Bernie says the units are based on a selfpaced learning style that is the same as is used at other polytechnic courses.
On entering the New Zealand Career College’s Nga Mahi Motoka automotive programme, students must first gain a health and safety unit standard. The NZQA accredited course units make up part of an automotive pre-apprenticeship course.
The youth unit boasts a new double bay workshop for the boys to practice the practical elements of the automotive programme such as working on front and rear wheel drive cars, motorcycles, clutches, brakes, suspension, weed-eaters, motor mowers, bicycles, go-carts and welding.
The level one and two automotive programme is partially funded by the Tertiary Education Commission. Because of a funding requirement, each participant must have an outcome at the conclusion of his course: either a job or enrolment in further education.
New Zealand Career College Campus Director Hayley Devoy says the college’s relationship with Corrections has been strengthened by having Bernie based fulltime at the prison.
“This gives us the chance to work really closely with these groups of young offenders.
Once the boys are released from prison they can continue with their course on campus. We keep in contact with them, help them produce a curriculum vitae and are there to help achieve a positive outcome,” says Hayley.
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