Wakatipu High School technology teacher Glenn Brickell is asking locals to check their back gardens for a spare portable garage needed to help automotive engineering and trade pupils learn their trades.
Mr Brickell said the school had "no funds" and it would mean "a lot of sausage sizzles" to raise enough to buy a 12m x 12m workshop that was urgently required.
"There's an urgent need for trades training in the district, but the economic downturn means that the businesses that have in the past provided practical training can no longer afford to do so."
As an A grade automotive engineer who ran an automotive course at Linfield College, Auckland, for five years, Mr Brickell could take on the role - provided he had somewhere to work from.
"Government funding covers teaching, equipment and tools but does not contribute to the cost of somewhere to teach from," he said.
Pupils who would typically have left school to take up apprenticeships were finding them harder to gain, so the high school wanted to be able to help provide the skills.
"Our town needs tradespeople - and these kids need a career path.
"All we need to provide this is a garage.
"Perhaps there is a wannabe DIY man out there with a kitset garage not yet erected who would like to see it better used than gathering dust. We would happily provide free oil and lubes for a decade in return."
Anyone who could assist in providing a garage was asked to contact Mr Brickell on (03) 442-7370
