Trades Academy
Whenua Iti Outdoors in conjunction with Top of the South Trades Academy (TOTSTA) and West Coast Trades Academy (WCTA) deliver a range of programmes for Year 11 through to Year 13 students.
Programmes are funded by the Ministry of Education, and are zero cost to students. Each course is includes assessments that contribute to students NCEA. These courses offer much more than academic credit, they are packed with experiential learning opportunities to build confidence, leadership & essential employability skills. Our Trades Academy programmes help set students up on a positive pathway to future employment or further study.
Interested in a Programme?
Your school will have a Trades Academy Co-ordinator who can help you access any of the programmes that we run. If you have a question about the programmes and what's involved, you are welcome to contact us.
Adventure Tourism
The leadership, personal and social development skills that are developed through challenging, outdoor experiences are well recognised. Our Adventure based courses offer opportunities to develop these important skills further and prepare you for a pathway to further study or employment.
Course Options:
Manaaki Tāpoi
Manaaki Tāpoi explores and celebrates the importance of Cultural Tourism within NZ and builds a deeper understanding of Te Āo Māori. Travel to significant sites, including Maraes around the top of the south island, West Coast and Wellington . This is a unique programme option within New Zealand.
Course Options:
Emergency & Response
Students will focus on search and rescue, emergency services and civil defence training in a variety of locations. These programmes provide students with the opportunity to explore a range of uniformed career pathways and develop essential emergency response skills.
Course Options:
Tourism Operations
Experience and learn about Aotearoa unique tourism attractions and how they are managed from established, local tourism operators. Students will come away with knowledge of key skills required for the tourism industry, appealing to students who respond well to practical learning.
Course Options:
Environmental Studies
Build an understanding of NZ's biodiversity through field-based, environmental investigations, community projects and exploration. These programmes focus on developing practical skills for environmental investigations and management practices while exploring pathways beyond school.
Course Options:
Service Industry Internship
Students will have the the opportunity to work for established tourism operators, to experience & learn about unique local tourism attractions and practice essential employment skills. This programme is designed to prepare and assist students transition from school into the world of work.
Course Options:
Qualified Instructors
You're in safe hands. Our friendly & highly professional instructors are all industry qualified for a wide range of activities.
NZQA Qualified and NCEA Aligned
We are NZQA accredited, can offer NCEA Level 1-3 assessments and all programmes align with the NZ Curriculum key competencies.
Safety Accredited
We put safety first. We are a registered provider of Adventure Activities with Worksafe NZ, and are Safety audit certified with OutdoorsMark.
Trades Academy Programmes
Uniformed Services (Level 2)
Find out first hand what it’s really like to be a paramedic, a police officer and a firefighter! Course Aim: To provide students with the opportunity to explore career pathways…
- Trades
Tourism Operations (Level 3)
Students get to really experience tourism through the lens of clients, local tourism business owners and as an employee. You will visit a range of tourism operators, understand the different…
- Tourism
- Trades
Service Industry Internship (Level 3)
The Service Industry Internship programme is designed for students who are looking to gain essential employment skills for the transition from school to the world of work. Students whilst working…
- Tourism
- Trades
Predator Control & Conservation (Level 3)
If you enjoy being outside, being active and learning in a hands-on, practical way, then come and join our efforts to protect New Zealand’s unique biodiversity! The Level 3 Predator…
- Environment
- Trades
Manaaki Tāpoi Introduction (Level 2)
Course Aim The Manaaki Tāpoi course celebrates the importance of Cultural (indigenous) Tourism. Learning will focus on key elements of Māori culture and how they are interpreted in cultural tourism…
- Cultural
- Tourism
- Trades
Manaaki Tāpoi Advanced (Level 3)
The Manaaki Tāpoi Advanced programme will strengthen participant’s understanding both of the uniqueness of Māori culture as well as the interconnectedness of Te Ao Māori. The course builds on the…
- Cultural
- Tourism
- Trades
Environmental Science (Level 3)
The Environmental Science programme is designed to bring science to life through a series of field-based, environmental investigations. The programme focus is on developing an understanding of environmental science and…
- Environment
- Trades
- Cultural
Civil Defence Emergency Response (Level 3)
Experience simulated emergency exercises and gain essential rope skills & techniques used in emergency outdoors situations. Course Aim To provide participants with the practical skills and knowledge to be able…
- Trades
- Adventure
Adventure Tourism Leadership (L3)
Take your existing outdoors skills to the next level. Build your confidence in outdoor leadership through this challenging and rewarding course. Course Aim Students will build on their existing outdoor…
- Adventure
- Tourism
- Trades
Adventure Tourism Leadership (L2)
Build on a love of the outdoors by learning technical and practical outdoor skills in a team environment. Course Aim The Adventure Tourism Leadership – Level 2 programme provides students…
- Adventure
- Tourism
- Trades
Our Secondary School Programmes
Read about all the programmes on offer to Secondary Schools including all Trades Academy programmes, Specialty Programmes and Holiday Programmes.
Benefits of Experiential Learning
The Trades Academy programmes focus on learning in a practical, hands-on environment. The true benefits of this style of learning lie beyond the immediate academic results.
Want to find out more about a programme or have a question for us? Talk to one of our friendly team - we're happy to help.