Ready for a real job - not ready to leave school?
The Top of the South Trades Academy is opening doors for students like you, who want to stay at school but are ready to start training for a real job.
If you’re accepted into the Trades Academy, you’ll be able to stay at school completing NCEA, while at the same time working towards a qualification in a trade of your choice.
Practical and hands-on
Trades Academy training is practical and hands-on and there are lots of options to choose from. You can learn anything from mechanical engineering and aquaculture, to hairdressing and hospitality. You’ll learn heaps of useful skills to help you go on to further study or get a job right out of school. The best part is, it’s free!
Training is either one day a week at one of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s (NMIT) campuses in Richmond, Nelson and Blenheim; or in residential blocks at Whenua Iti Outdoors. We also have training located at the RNZAF Base Woodbourne.
This video features some of our recent students talking about their experiences taking part in Trades Academy.
Read the personal accounts of our graduates and current students.
We have a great range of practical and hands-on courses.