Paving progress

 Since Monday  the year 12's and I have been planning out our new paving path we  are going to build outside the hall. The reason we want to build a new pavement foot path is because the students tend to track mud into their classes, so we want to eliminate the problem and build our pavement path for the solution.  What we did first is we had a long look at where we want our path, how long we want it and how wide. We calculated the width and length of the path. The width of it is 1.5 metres and the length is 3.50 metres. We also decide that instead of a straight path we want it to go out wider. 

For example:

Prototype 1 

Straight path

(what we are not doing)

Prototype 2 

Wider foot path

(what we are doing)

My theory work

 This week I haven't done any practical work because I've been fully focused on my paperwork that I wanted to get done to earn my credits. So far I've finished my retaining wall and concreting unit paperwork and still writing my power tool work. 

For power tools I'm just talking about what power tools I've used , why they are good to use and how to use them. 

My soft skills

Kia ora my name is Ngapua and today I found out 3 of my key soft skills or attributes towards my working life on site.

Soft skills are attributes and attitude traits that are helpful and useful on work sites.

Here are my

soft skills

Listening -

I listen to what my mates and teachers have to say when explaining things to me 

Adaptability -

I am always on time to where I need to be at all times

Communication -

I am always asking questions when I’m stuck on something or I help anyone that asks for

my help at explain to them clearly.


My adaptability to show up on time and to be able to communicate with work mates is a key

attribute towards my work life on site, for me to be able to communicate I also can listen to

what others have to say on work site.







.

Retaining Wall.

For the past 2 weeks we have been working on our year 12 project outside the hall to create and build a retaining wall. We built this retaining wall for the school so they have a place to sit down and lunchtime underneath the shelters of the trees inside the wall. What I liked about working on this project was that it was relatively easy but there were hard moments during the process of our project. For example while digging our holes for the post we came across an old concrete spill underneath the dirt, it was very hard to get rid of so we had to come up with a few ideas. Some of us that it was best to just smash through it were sledge hammers but I thought it was better to see if we had a jack hammer in class and we did. The jack hammer really helped us during that moment. 

I am really happy of our project came along at the end and hope that everyone uses it with respect. 

Heres some photos of our retaining wall from start to end. 

Heres the list of our cutting list: 

H5 posts

H4 rails

Concrete

Nails – 100/125mm and 150mm galvanised or, if close to the ocean, stainless steel

Drainage gravel

Bracing timber, pegs, and nails.

me myself and I

Kia ora, my name is Ngapua I'm a year 12 at Bay of islands college and this is my first blog since December 5th 2019. Today I would like to talk to you all about my experience so far at Bay of Islands College in the building academy class. So far I love it, learning new things such as simple things like knowing the names of different tools, knowing what types of timber like 4x2 and 6x2 etc. I've contributed to helping out building the school a new PE shed to hold our school equipment such as javelins, high jump mats and more. I've also help build the school a new long jump pit box and right now we're in the process of a new retaining wall right outside of the hall for everyone to sit on during how days underneath the tree above the retaining wall and a new foot path below the canteen for because the old foot path has cracked and isn't quite good looking anymore. Also once every week I go out on mondays with WhaOut builders to get a more deeper  understanding and to also gain experience of what a real work day is and how it will be if I keep choosing the path of a builders career.