Otago Polytechnic carpentry student Megan Roberts spends her days surrounded by 22 males, but it is her ability rather than her gender which makes her stand out, her tutor says.
Miss Roberts (18) is one of two women enrolled in the polytechnic's level 4 certificate in carpentry course.
Carpentry tutor Brian Turner said he had taught seven women in the past 12 years and Miss Roberts was a "natural''.
"She will give anything a go, she has natural tool skills and she gives the boys a real run for their money.''
Miss Roberts said she discovered her love for building while she was a pupil at Otago Girls' High School.
"I hadn't really given it much thought beyond that though, until a tertiary open day and I thought it looked quite good.''
She believed it was only people from a "way older'' generation who might find her choice of occupation strange.
Mr Turner attributed the increase in enrolments in the school to the nature of the opportunities it offered.
"There are a lot of young men and women out there that won't see themselves as university students, but they want to apply themselves and do something hands-on.''
Miss Roberts' class would spend the remainder of the year building a house to be auctioned at the end of the year.
The project would equip her with the skills to get an apprenticeship and fulfil a personal goal of building her own home one day, she said.
