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Youth

Breaking Down Barriers: New Plymouth's Build a Bridge Programme Empowers Young Women in Construction

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The New Plymouth District Council's Build a Bridge programme is making waves in Taranaki, providing young women with valuable job skills and a future in construction. Kasey Gooch, a 16-year-old student from the New Plymouth Girls' High School, has become the first female to enter the programme, joining five other students from different high schools in building three bridges across the region. Over nine months, the students have been learning design principles, handling tools, and materials, and are now set to complete their projects in the next couple of weeks.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Build a Bridge programme is a partnership between NPDC, NZIHT School of Engineering, Energy and Infrastructure, WITT Te Pukenga, Fulton Hogan, Whitaker Civil Engineering, Downer Group, WSP, and Taranaki Futures.
  • The programme has been ongoing for three years, with 22 students from six secondary schools participating in 2022, replacing two footbridges for the Mangati Walkway in Bell Block and one for the Waimea Stream Reserve in New Plymouth.
  • Kasey Gooch is the first female to enter the programme, which offers valuable job skills and a future in construction to young women.
  • The students have been working on building three bridges, with the first set to go into PG Nops Scenic Reserve in Inglewood in the next couple of weeks.
  • The programme delivers top-quality bridges for parks and delivers first-class training in building and construction, as well as health and safety for rangatahi.
  • The Build a Bridge programme promotes diversity in the building industry, recognizing the valuable contributions women make in construction, not just in the actual building work, but also in creating an industry culture that reflects the wider community.

Statistics:

  • Five students from different high schools participated in the 2022 Build a Bridge programme, building three bridges in nine months.
  • The programme has been ongoing for three years, with an increasing number of students participating each year.
  • 22 students from six secondary schools participated in 2022, replacing two footbridges for the Mangati Walkway in Bell Block and one for the Waimea Stream Reserve in New Plymouth.
  • The students completed over 90% of the project on time, with exceptional quality and teamwork demonstrated throughout the programme.
  • Over 110 parks and reserves are managed by NPDC throughout the district, with regular maintenance and upkeep provided by the Council.

Sources:

  • New Plymouth District Council
  • NZIHT School of Engineering, Energy and Infrastructure
  • WITT Te Pukenga
  • Fulton Hogan
  • Whitaker Civil Engineering
  • Downer Group
  • WSP
  • Taranaki Futures

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