Metal FabricatorHigh demand
$52k
Starting out
apprentice
$72k
5 years in
qualified fabricator
$95k+
Expert
leading hand / self-employed
Metal fabricators cut, shape, form and assemble steel and other metals into structures, tanks, frames and components — reading engineering drawings and building to fine tolerance. It's hands-on workshop and site work that underpins construction, manufacturing and infrastructure. A Green-List shortage trade, so demand is strong nationwide.
Career switchers. Suits people who like building things you can stand on. Welding, sheet-metal or general engineering experience transfers straight in, and fabrication pairs naturally with welding tickets. Overseas-qualified fabricators have their skills assessed via NZQA. Steady demand means easy movement between firms and regions.
Entry: Apprenticeship entry — you're hired by an engineering or fabrication firm and train on the job. NCEA helpful but not essential.
How you get there
Get hired as a fabrication apprentice
Apply to engineering and steel-fabrication firms and sign on to an apprenticeship through your employer. Paid from day one — no tuition debt.
Paid from day one
NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 4) — Fabrication strand
Work-based apprenticeship (Hanga-Aro-Rau / Te Pūkenga). Covers cutting, forming, welding, assembly and reading engineering drawings, assessed on real jobs.
3–4 yearsFree — apprenticeship
Qualified Fabricator → Leading hand
Run jobs, lead a workshop crew or go out on your own. Adding welding tickets lifts both pay and the range of work you can take on.
3–4 years to qualified
Cutting & formingWelding & assemblyDrawing interpretationWorking to toleranceQA / inspection
Green-List shortage trade: fabrication is in such demand it carries a residence pathway. Stack welding tickets on top and you control where and what you work on.
WelderCritical demand
$52k
Starting out
apprentice
$75k
5 years in
coded welder
$100k+
Expert
specialist / coded
Welders join metal to build and repair structures, pipework, tanks and machinery — MIG, TIG and arc, working to engineering standards and codes. It's a craft with a clear ladder: the more demanding the weld and the more tickets you hold, the more you earn. Welding is a Green-List shortage trade in NZ and a globally portable skill.
Career switchers. One of the most transferable trades in the world — coded NZ welding qualifications travel to Australia and beyond. Fabrication and engineering backgrounds cross in easily. The path from general welding to coded and pressure work is where the pay really climbs.
Entry: Apprenticeship entry — hired by an engineering or fabrication firm and trained on the job. NCEA helpful, not essential; a steady hand and attention to detail matter most.
How you get there
Get hired as a welding apprentice
Apply to fabrication and engineering firms. You earn a full wage from day one while you train.
Paid from day one
NZ Certificate in Welding (Level 3–4)
Work-based training. MIG/TIG/arc processes, structural welding and AS/NZS standards, assessed on real jobs.
2–3 yearsFree — apprenticeship
Coded / Certified Welder
Gain AS/NZS welding tickets (coded welding) to take on structural and high-spec work. Coded welders command a clear premium — and it's the gateway to pressure welding.
Welding tickets
MIG / TIG / arcStructural weldingCode complianceBlueprint readingInspection & QA
Portable worldwide: coded NZ welding tickets are recognised internationally. It's a skill you can take anywhere — and pressure welding is the high-paid next rung.
Engineering MachinistHigh demand
$52k
Starting out
apprentice
$74k
5 years in
CNC machinist
$98k+
Expert
toolmaker / senior
Engineering machinists make precision metal components on lathes, mills and CNC machines — setting up tooling, programming, machining to fine tolerance and measuring to spec. It's exacting, technical work for people who like getting things exactly right, and it sits at the heart of manufacturing and maintenance.
Career switchers. A strong fit if you're precise, methodical and enjoy problem-solving. CAD/CAM and CNC skills are increasingly valuable and open the door to toolmaking and programming roles. A Green-List shortage trade with steady demand across manufacturing.
Entry: Apprenticeship entry — hired by an engineering firm and trained on the job. NCEA Level 2 Maths is a real advantage given the precision and measurement involved.
How you get there
Get hired as a machining apprentice
Apply to engineering and manufacturing firms and sign on to an apprenticeship. Paid from day one.
Paid from day one
NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 4) — Machining strand
Work-based apprenticeship. Turning, milling, CNC setup and programming, precision measurement and QA, assessed on real jobs.
3–4 yearsFree — apprenticeship
CNC Machinist → Toolmaker
Move into CNC programming, complex precision work or toolmaking — the senior, highest-paid end of the machining trade.
3–4 years to qualified
Turning & millingCNC setup & programmingPrecision measurementToolingQuality assurance
Where precision pays: machinists who add CNC programming and CAD/CAM become hard to replace — it's the route to toolmaking and the top of the pay band.
FitterCritical demand
$54k
Starting out
apprentice
$80k
5 years in
maintenance fitter
$105k+
Expert
shutdown / specialist
Fitters assemble, install and maintain machinery and rotating equipment — diagnosing faults, repairing and overhauling plant, and keeping production lines running. They're the people factories and processing plants can't operate without, and shutdown and maintenance work pays very well.
Career switchers. Mechanical aptitude and problem-solving are the core skills — automotive, agricultural or general mechanical backgrounds transfer in. Maintenance and shutdown fitters are in high demand across food processing, manufacturing, power and marine, with strong overtime earnings.
Entry: Apprenticeship entry — hired by an engineering or maintenance employer and trained on the job. NCEA Level 2 Maths helpful.
How you get there
Get hired as a fitting & machining apprentice
Apply to engineering, manufacturing and maintenance employers. You earn a full wage from day one.
Paid from day one
NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 4) — Fitting & Machining / Maintenance strand
Work-based apprenticeship. Assembling and maintaining plant and rotating equipment, fault diagnosis and overhauls, assessed on real jobs.
3–4 yearsFree — apprenticeship
Maintenance Fitter → Shutdown specialist
Specialise in plant maintenance and shutdowns — high-demand, high-earning work across food, manufacturing, power and marine, often with strong overtime.
3–4 years to qualified
Mechanical assemblyFault diagnosisRotating equipmentOverhauls & repairsShutdown work
Overtime adds up: maintenance and shutdown fitters are scarce and essential, so the work is steady and the overtime earnings push total pay well above the base.
Pressure WelderCritical demand
$58k
Starting out
post-apprentice
$90k
5 years in
coded pressure welder
$120k+
Expert
specialist (power / process)
Pressure welders perform high-integrity welds on pipework and vessels that operate under pressure — for power stations, process plants, oil and gas, and food and dairy. Every weld is safety-critical and code-tested, which is exactly why certified pressure welders are scarce and among the best-paid in the trade.
Career switchers. This is where welders go to maximise earnings. You qualify as a welder first, then gain pressure-welding tickets. Precise, patient, quality-focused welders thrive here, and the certification is recognised across heavy industry in NZ and overseas.
Entry: Qualify as a welder first, then gain specialised pressure-welding certification. Not a direct school-leaver entry — it's the specialist step up from general welding.
How you get there
Qualify as a welder
Complete a welding apprenticeship / NZ Certificate first. This is your foundation — pressure welding builds on a solid general welding base.
2–3 yearsFree — apprenticeship
Gain pressure-welding tickets (AS 1796)
Certify for high-pressure pipe and vessel welding (e.g. AS 1796 Certificate 9/10). Code-tested, safety-critical work — the tickets are what unlock the pay.
Coded tickets
Certified Pressure Welder
High-integrity welding for power, oil & gas and process plants — among the best-paid welding work in the country, with strong demand on major projects and shutdowns.
premium pay
High-integrity weldingCode compliance (AS 1796)Pipe & vessel workX-ray-quality weldsProcess / power plant
Top of the welding ladder: pressure welding is safety-critical and certified, so the welders who hold the tickets are scarce and command $120k+ on major projects.
Civil EngineerCritical demand
$65k
Starting out
graduate engineer
$100k
5 years in
chartered (CPEng)
$140k+
Expert
principal / lead
Civil engineers design and oversee the infrastructure the country runs on — roads, bridges, water and structures — from structural analysis and design through to managing projects on site. It's the professional-engineering route: degree-led, high-earning, and a Green-List shortage role with a residence pathway.
Career switchers. The degree route is independent of the trades, but experienced technicians often climb in via the NZ Diploma while working. International BE degrees are recognised through the Washington Accord — confirm via the International Engineering Alliance and get a credential assessment from Engineering New Zealand.
Entry: Diploma pathway needs 48 NCEA L2 credits including Maths. Degree pathways require NCEA L3 Physics & Maths; University Entrance for BE(Hons).
How you get there
Choose your entry pathway
Three options by qualification — the Diploma is the fastest and cheapest way into engineering practice; the BE(Hons) is the route to Chartered status and the highest ceiling.
Level 6 NZ Diploma in Engineering
Te Pūkenga. Fastest, most affordable entry. 48 NCEA L2 credits including Maths — accessible without top grades.
2 years~$16,000
Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BEngTech)
University. Applied 3-year engineering degree with a practical focus. NCEA L3 Physics & Maths required.
3 years~$30,000
BE(Hons) → Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng)
University BE(Hons) (Washington Accord recognised), then register as CPEng with Engineering NZ after ~4 years' experience. Project leadership and principal roles follow.
4 years + experience~$40,000
Structural designAnalysis & modellingProject managementSite oversightTechnical reporting
Diploma first: many engineers start with the NZ Diploma to get into industry fast, then complete a degree part-time while earning — a Green-List career with a residence pathway and a $140k+ ceiling.