30 October 2024:

Canterbury Project Manager, Richard Bruere, had been at Fulton Hogan for a few weeks when he decided to go back to school. In August, Richard joined Year 8 at Christchurch’s St Andrew’s College, part of the Fulton Hogan team that’s helping share the wonders of engineering through Engineering NZ’s Wonder Project (www.wonderproject.co.nz).

With teacher Christina Fitzgerald’s science class, Richard is helping pilot a programme that challenges pupils to work in teams to build water systems and test water purity.

Joining Fulton Hogan in July this year, Richard says he is having a lot of fun with the Wonder Project.

“It’s a very special two hours per week, especially because the children are so into it.”

Richard reckons he’s learning almost as much as the children. The programme has also had an unexpected side-effect.

“I’m working on a pedestrian and cycle safety project at Redcliffs near where some of the class live. They say they are keeping as close an eye on my work as I am on theirs.”

Christina Fitzgerald (pictured) says it’s “priceless” for the children.

“Richard has been bringing practice to the theory and making it fun for the whole classroom,” Christina says. “That takes a special person; he’s so calm and has such mana with the children.”

The Wonder Project is Engineering New Zealand’s not-for-profit, free programme for schools, designed to inspire young Kiwis with science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Other Fulton Hogan team members working on the Wonder Project are Leila Dadian, Felix Mendonca and Matthew Woodfield (Christchurch), Bayley Dropich (Tauranga), Kirsty McVicar, Farah Rahman and Yash Kumaran (Auckland).