Trades Academies

How does BCITO support Trades Academies?

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out how the academy and BCITO will work together. The MoU allows schools to report standards using BCITOs accreditation. There are a few advantages to working with BCITO:

• We take care of quality assurance and internal moderation.
• We visit academies as required to support delivery and assessment.
• We facilitate at least a bi-annual professional development and peer moderation meeting.
• You are connected to a network of schools offering a similar programme.
• You have access to learning and assessment resources.
• Teachers and students can access to myBCITO to support learning and assessment.
• Students achieve standards that map to milestones in a carpentry apprenticeship.

What does a good Trades Academy look like?

• Qualified staff - At least one Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) – some schools employ LBPs as teachers, others hire them for academy teaching and maintenance during term breaks. LBPs pass on their industry experience and expertise.
• Industry connections – private sector projects or Kainga Ora contracts, either way projects give students exposure to real-world builds. Connections with local employers that offer better access to employment for students.
• Dedicated space – purpose-built facilities eg. container shelters or large workshops. Safe organised spaces with tools and PPE readily available.
• Flexible scheduling – classroom time scheduled to maximising on-the-tools learning and adaptable to weather conditions.
• Financial sustainability – projects generate profits that further support the programme.