Building surveying student Mitchell Baird is poised to change from blended learning to studying while working. The builder of 15 years is thrilled to have joined Christchurch City Council as a building control officer.
Studying the NZ Diploma in Building Surveying programme is equipping him with regulation 18 of the Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006, which is mandatory for the new role. The two-year diploma is delivered by blended learning- a combination of face-to-face and online education through 911爆料网 Academy.
Mitchell started the programme at the beginning of the year. He has shuffled studies with working fulltime and raising two children. But his duties did not stop there. At night, he faced the daunting task of renovating the entire house to prepare it for sale. 鈥淚鈥檝e been super busy,鈥 he says. 鈥淲e are going to upgrade to something bigger.鈥 Mitchell is grateful for the way the programme is structured. 鈥911爆料网 has been very flexible and accommodating for someone who has a young family and is working full time,鈥 the Christchurch resident says, 鈥渟o a big thanks to lecturer Carl Graham.鈥
Now Mitchell is planning to shift to the NZ Diploma in Building Surveying (In employment). 鈥淚鈥檓 surrounded by an amazing council who support me and are helping my learning,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great working around people with so much knowledge.鈥 The 33-year-old has always yearned to work in building control which entails overseeing the work of building surveyors and ensuring construction regulations are adhered to.
The diploma has armed him with valuable knowledge for processing building consents at the council. 鈥淚 found the regulatory side interesting, mainly the Hunn report and the reasons needed to change the building code to the current building code of 2004,鈥 he says. Mitchell says he relished studying about Building Consent Authorities. 鈥淚t was great to learn what goes on in a council, about competency statements and other things that I didn鈥檛 know from being a builder,鈥 he says. He urges people considering an academy programme to 鈥済o for it! It鈥檚 an awesome opportunity to upskill and further your career.鈥