Smart Work 2027: Handyman Jobs

Things get broken at lower secondary school. Some pupils are surprised by their own strength, while others are venting their frustration. Not everything can be anticipated. Aesthetics create ethics: when an environment is well maintained and in good condition, it gets damaged and messed up less than places that are in poor condition. These ideas gave rise to the idea of engaging pupils taking the optional craft subject to carry out, under a teacher’s supervision, the kinds of repairs at school that call for quick action rather than a top professional.

The school doesn’t have a caretaker, but small things do break. Getting them fixed through the maintenance service takes several days, and in that time, broken items can easily end up in even worse condition. The optional craft subject’s Handyman Jobs fixes small broken things around the school: reattaching loose desk lids, repairing coat racks, and fixing dents in furniture.

Direct financial savings are achieved, since small repair jobs can be handled as part of the pupils’ studies instead of calling in the maintenance company for every minor issue. Carrying out real repair work for the benefit of the school has engaged and motivated pupils, giving them experiences of success and a sense of self-worth. One example is the repair of a broken desk. Desks of the same model are no longer available to order, and replacing the furniture for an entire classroom would cost over €2,000. Instead, with just a few corner brackets, the pupils have given the desks years of extended use.

The hope, of course, is that the school’s furnishings will stay in good condition without the need for Handyman Jobs, but so far this quick intervention has produced good results, and the model is easy to continue.

Developer

Saraliina Soramies, craft teacher, Kauriala Comprehensive School