From storage to smarter learning: Highbrook's electrical learning pods bring real-world training to life

Five small, pitched-roof structures inside Skills Trades Training’s Highbrook campus might resemble miniature homes - but for electrical learners, they represent something much bigger. 

The newly installed electrical learning pods are transforming how pre-trade students develop practical skills, offering a first-of-their-kind environment that closely replicates real-world conditions. 

Built with unlined walls and exposed framing, the structures allow learners to practise core tasks such as drilling into framing, installing switchboards, running wiring systems and testing circuits - all within a safe, controlled setting. 

Learners can also work at height, installing overhead lighting and fittings, helping build confidence before stepping onto a live job site. 

Skills Trades Training Auckland Campus Delivery Manager, Tony Atina, says the pods help bridge the gap between campus learning and the realities of working in the electrical trade. 

“They allow students to train in an environment that’s as close to the real thing as possible,” Atina says. 

“We want our learners exposed to the realities of the trade and these pods bring that experience into the classroom in a practical and safe way.” 

The idea itself is a story of innovation and resourcefulness. A builder by trade, Atina rescued the structures from storage. 

Originally built as part of a Skills Group trade show display, Atina got back on the tools to repurpose the pods for training. 

“It’s great they’ve been given a second life here at Highbrook,” Atina says. 

“Now they’re helping train the next generation of electricians.” 

The new setup is already expanding learning opportunities, allowing students to develop hands-on capability in areas that are difficult to replicate in a traditional classroom environment. 

“New apprentices need to become proficient using power tools, drilling through framing, running cables, installing switchboards and working in realistic spaces. Back in the day, we only used real houses. These pods bring us closer to that experience in a controlled, safe environment.” 

Further enhancements are already planned. This month, they will be upgraded with roller door systems powered by sensors, allowing students to gain hands-on experience programming PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) in a real-world application. 

“That’s where it gets really exciting,” says Atina. 

“Students won’t just be wiring components - they’ll be programming automation systems in situ, seeing how everything works together.” 

The learning spaces sit within the Highbrook campus’s modern, open-plan training environment - a space designed to inspire hands-on learning and collaboration.  

The campus accommodates around 200 electrical learners each day and nearly 1,400 students across multiple trades programmes, making it one of the country’s largest and most dynamic training hubs. 

“The addition of the pods reflects our focus on practical, industry-aligned training.” Atina says. 

“It’s about giving students the confidence and capability they need before they step onto site.”