Youth building skills programme

Learn. Build. Grow.

Give your young person the chance to build real skills, real confidence, and real resilience.

The KMB Youth Academy — Learn. Build. Grow. programme is an 8-week, hands-on experience designed to develop mental toughness, practical life skills, and foundational building knowledge in a supportive, real-world environment.

Led by experienced builder and mentor Kiel Marshall, this programme blends building fundamentals, life skills, and mental resilience that will benefit participants far beyond the workshop.

Spaces are limited.

Programme outline

"This programme is about giving young people practical skills, real confidence, and a better understanding of what’s possible for them."

- Kiel Marshall

Programme details

Dates: Fridays, February 13 – April 4
Time: 3:45pm – 5:30pm
Location: 19 Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay
Cost: $60 per session, with scholarships available

Participants will finish the programme with a showcase event for family and friends.

What participants will learn

The programme focuses on three core pillars:

Mental toughness and resilience
Practical life skills
Building skills fundamentals

Over eight engaging weeks, students will gain hands-on experience in:

Tool safety and carpentry basics
Understanding plans and measurements
Client communication skills
Teamwork and collaboration
Mental toughness and resilience
Sustainable building concepts

Build projects. Build skills. Build confidence.

Week 1 – Health, safety and mindset

Icebreakers and group introductions
Safety gear demonstration and hazard awareness
Staying calm under pressure

Week 2 – Workstations and organisation

Efficient tool layout
Safe lifting and handling
Problem-solving resilience activity
Quick station setup challenge

Week 3 – Client interaction and professionalism

Greetings and introductions
Listening skills and asking the right questions
Handling difficult situations respectfully
Roleplay client meeting exercise

Week 4 – Measuring and marking accurately

Introduction to tape, square and level
Measurement relay challenge
Learning from mistakes and re-measuring
Practical marking task

Week 5 – Basic carpentry skills

Sawing, hammering and simple joints
Build a small project (e.g. planter box)
Working effectively under time pressure
Practical build session

Week 6 – Tool maintenance

Cleaning and safe storage
Spot-a-fault activity
Building persistence through upkeep
Tool care task

Week 7 – Plans and teamwork

Reading and drawing basic plans
Team mini-project design
Staying focused as a group
Paired build begins

Week 8 – Showcase and celebration

Complete team projects
Present work to family and guests
Reflect on growth and wins
Group photo and celebration

Meet your mentor:
Kiel Marshall

My name is Kiel Marshall. I’m the director of Kiel Marshall Builders and a proud father of two daughters, Isla (10) and Sasha (8).

Teaching has always been important to me. Watching my girls learn practical skills — whether painting, building decorations, or safely using tools — showed me just how powerful hands-on learning can be for building confidence.

Over the past 11 years running my building company, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to support and mentor the next generation entering the trades. This programme was created to help young people develop not just practical skills, but the mindset needed to succeed in any path they choose.

My approach is simple: hard but fair.
Discipline, resilience and adaptability are the foundation of long-term success.

Outside of work, I live an active, adventure-focused lifestyle — from storm chasing in the United States to mountain running, surfing and skiing. Embracing challenges keeps me sharp, and I bring that same energy into this programme.

Built on discipline, resilience and real experience

This programme incorporates age-appropriate mental toughness challenges inspired by proven mindset principles. The focus is on helping young people develop:

Accountability
Confidence under pressure
Positive work habits
Resilience when things get hard

All activities are carefully adapted to be safe, achievable, and encouraging for youth.

Pathways into the trades

The KMB Youth Academy is designed as a genuine starting point for young people interested in the building industry.
Participants who demonstrate the right attitude, reliability, and work ethic may be supported with introductions to: