Paitya was a four-week introduction to civil construction for Year 10, 11 and 12 students at Kaurna Plains School in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. Renewal SA says 12 students graduated after taking part in practical building work, training and industry visits. The school’s pathways leader also reported improved attendance and interest in civil construction among three or four students; those are local observations, not an independent evaluation of the program’s impact.
What was the Paitya Program?
Renewal SA’s Works Program delivered Paitya with Civil Train SA, the Department for Education, Student Pathways and Careers, and Workabout. The Department for Education funded the program. It was designed as an introduction to civil construction, combining training and theory with practical activities over four weeks.
The program’s name came from Kaurna language lessons at the school. Renewal SA says students named and workshopped “Paitya,” which it translates as “deadly!”, “wow!”, “amazing!” or “awesome!” in Kaurna Warrapiipa, citing the Kaurna Dictionary (2021). Students chose the name in reference to the 2026 NAIDOC Week theme, “50 Years of Deadly.”
What did students do?
Built something for their school
Students built a mud kitchen for other students at Kaurna Plains School, applying practical skills to a project with a use in their school community.
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Experienced training and simulated equipment
At the Civil Contractors Federation SA Centre for Excellence in Gepps Cross, students used simulated plant equipment and watched a working-at-heights demonstration.
Visited a civil construction site
T & J Constructions hosted students at a site at Munno Para Downs. Business Manager, HR and Procurement Donna Boerema said site visits matter because students can “see what it’s actually like, get their boots dirty and feel the clay underneath.”
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Learned about Country and construction
RAW Heritage contributed stories and history and discussed respecting Country during civil and earth-moving activity. That cultural learning sat alongside the program’s practical introduction to construction work.
What outcomes did Renewal SA report?
Renewal SA says 12 students graduated. It reports that graduates received a white card, supervised learner-driver hours and real-world exposure to the industry. The agency also describes its Works Program as having provided thousands of training opportunities in Adelaide’s northern suburbs since 2008; that is a broad cumulative description, not a precise participant count.
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Civil Train SA Trainer/Assessor Annie Hiskey said she had seen students’ confidence grow and that they had come “out of their shell.” She also described programs like this as valuable for bringing people into an industry that needs workers.
Kaurna Plains School Secondary Pathways Leader Joshua Young said attendance “has gone through the roof” and “has improved out of sight.” He did not provide attendance figures or a defined measure. Young also said three or four students had indicated interest in a possible civil construction career, while noting the field would not suit everyone.
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What the reported results do—and do not—show
The account presents a four-week program, reported graduate outcomes and observations from people involved in its delivery. It does not include baseline attendance figures, a comparison group, independent evaluation or follow-up employment data. The reported interest in construction is a promising indication of exploration, but it does not establish that graduates entered training or jobs, or that the program caused any attendance change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can students apply for a future Paitya cohort?
Renewal SA’s account does not give future cohort dates, public eligibility criteria, enrollment arrangements or a route for readers to access the program. It also does not say whether work placements are available. Anyone seeking a future opportunity would need to confirm current arrangements with the school or relevant program partners.
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Renewal SA’s account of the Paitya Program was published on 6 October 2026.
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