Industry Connection for Excellence: Skills Hub

Cook Brothers Otago are proud to have completed work on the new Dunedin campus for the Skills Group and the Industry Connection for Excellence: Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainage School - a new space that will provide training to the next generation of tradesmen/tradeswoman in Otago.

Initially awarded as a tender for structural strengthening, this project expanded to include a comprehensive fit-out. The existing building required extensive renovations due to significant interior and exterior deterioration.

Key works involved bracing existing steelwork, enhancing structural connections, and adding new shear elements and roof cross-bracing. Interior renovations transformed the space to include workshops, classrooms, offices, reception, and student common areas. The training spaces were designed with an industrial aesthetic, featuring chipboard wall linings and exposed services to reflect the building’s trades-focused purpose, offering versatile and practical use.

The Otago team managed a staged handover, transforming a neglected building into a functional, modern facility. Strong collaboration and clear communication among trade partners, the client, and the Cook Brothers team were essential to the project’s success.