Comms LinesworkerHigh demand
$72k
5 years in
qualified linesworker
Communications linesworkers install and maintain the aerial and underground lines that carry phone, internet and data — running cable, connecting customers and restoring outages. It's physical, outdoor work, often at height or in the ground, and it keeps the country connected.
Career switchers. A strong entry for fit, practical people who like outdoor work — civil, construction or electrical-adjacent backgrounds transfer in. No qualifications to start; you train on the job and build toward a telecommunications qualification. A flagged skill shortage with steady demand.
Entry: No qualifications needed to start — you're hired and trained on the job, including height and cable safety.
How you get there
Get hired as a trainee linesworker
Apply to telco contractors and network builders. Fitness and reliability matter most; safety inductions come first. Paid from day one.
Paid from day one
NZ Certificate in Telecommunications (Level 3–4)
Work-based training in line installation, cable handling, connections and outage repair, assessed on real jobs.
~2 yearsFree — work-based
Qualified Linesworker → Senior / lead
Take on complex installs and outage response, and step up to leading a crew.
shortage role
Line installationCable handlingOutage repairWorking at heightNetwork safety
Hired without a qualification: linesworking is a fast, work-based way into the connectivity industry, with steady demand as the network keeps expanding.
Cable JointerHigh demand
$78k
5 years in
fibre / copper jointer
$98k+
Expert
specialist / lead
Communications cable jointers join and test the fibre and copper cables that carry the network — splicing, terminating, locating faults and restoring service. Precise, technical hands-on work, increasingly fibre-focused as New Zealand's connectivity grows.
Career switchers. Suits methodical people good with their hands and detail — electrical, lines or cabling backgrounds cross in well. Fibre splicing is a specialist, in-demand skill that lifts pay. A flagged shortage role with strong, ongoing demand from network builds.
Entry: Work-based entry with field certification — you're hired and trained on the job, building toward fibre and copper jointing certification.
How you get there
Get hired as a trainee cable jointer
Apply to telco contractors and fibre network builders. Paid from day one while you train.
Paid from day one
Fibre & copper jointing certification (work-based)
Train and certify in splicing, termination, testing and fault location across fibre and copper, assessed in the field.
~2 yearsFree — work-based
Fibre / Copper Jointer → Specialist
Specialise in fibre splicing and complex fault restoration — scarce, well-paid skills in steady demand.
shortage role
Fibre splicingCopper jointingFault locationTesting & restorationAttention to detail
Fibre is the future: jointing is precise, specialist work, and fibre splicing in particular is scarce and well-paid as the network keeps growing.
Comms TechnicianCritical demand
$58k
Starting out
trainee technician
$78k
5 years in
qualified technician
$98k+
Expert
senior / specialist
Communications technicians install, service and diagnose radio systems, antennas and network equipment — testing, fault-finding and keeping connectivity infrastructure running. Technical, problem-solving work across radio, mobile and fixed networks.
Career switchers. A strong fit for people who like electronics, diagnostics and getting systems working. Electrical or electronics backgrounds transfer in; vendor certifications add value. A flagged shortage role with broad demand across the connectivity sector.
Entry: Technician or trade pathway — work-based training, often with vendor certifications, sometimes built on a diploma.
How you get there
Get hired as a trainee communications technician
Apply to telco operators and contractors. Paid while you train; electronics aptitude helps.
Paid while you train
NZ Certificate in Telecommunications (Level 4) + vendor certs
Work-based training in radio systems, antennas, equipment testing and diagnostics, plus vendor certifications.
2–3 yearsFree — work-based
Qualified Technician → Senior / specialist
Specialise in radio, mobile or fixed-network systems and move into senior technical roles.
shortage role
Radio systemsAntennasEquipment testingFault diagnosisVendor certifications
Electronics that pays: technician work blends diagnostics and field problem-solving, with vendor certs that lift your value — and it's a flagged shortage role.
Technical OfficerCritical demand
$65k
Starting out
junior officer
$85k
5 years in
technical officer
$105k+
Expert
senior / network lead
Communications technical officers work at the systems level — supporting network design, testing systems and producing the documentation networks are built and maintained from. It bridges hands-on technical work and engineering, for people who like the bigger picture of how a network fits together.
Career switchers. A natural step up for experienced technicians, or an entry via a diploma or degree. Suits analytical people who enjoy design and documentation as well as troubleshooting. A flagged shortage role with progression toward network engineering and lead roles.
Entry: Diploma or degree pathway, often entered after technician experience or via an engineering/IT diploma.
How you get there
Diploma / degree or technician experience
Enter via an engineering, networking or IT diploma, or step up after experience as a communications technician.
diploma / experience
Get hired as a technical officer
Join a network operator or integrator supporting network design, system testing and documentation.
Paid role
Technical Officer → Senior / network lead
Move into network design and lead technical roles — the systems-level, higher-paid end of the sector.
shortage role
Network supportSystem testingTechnical documentationDesign supportTroubleshooting
The systems view: technical officers see how the whole network fits together — a step up from the tools toward network engineering and lead roles.
Field EngineerCritical demand
$70k
Starting out
graduate / junior
$95k
5 years in
field engineer
$120k+
Expert
senior / lead
Communications field engineers configure, test and commission network equipment on site — bringing new infrastructure online, troubleshooting complex faults and making sure systems perform. It's the most senior field role, combining hands-on work with engineering know-how, and the best-paid of the connectivity trades.
Career switchers. The destination of the technician pathway, or entry via an engineering/networking diploma or degree plus vendor certifications. Suits strong problem-solvers who like being on site and owning the outcome. A flagged shortage role with the highest pay in the sector.
Entry: Diploma or technician pathway plus vendor certifications — often reached after technician experience.
How you get there
Technician experience or engineering diploma
Build experience as a communications technician, or enter via an engineering/networking diploma plus vendor certifications.
diploma / experience
Vendor certifications + commissioning experience
Gain vendor certifications and hands-on commissioning experience configuring and testing network equipment on site.
Vendor certs
Field Engineer → Senior / lead
Own complex site commissioning and fault resolution and lead field teams — the highest-paid field role in the sector.
shortage role
Equipment configurationSite commissioningNetwork testingComplex troubleshootingVendor certifications
Top of the field: combining hands-on work with engineering, field engineers own the outcome on site — the best-paid of the connectivity roles and a flagged shortage.