Demand for engineering apprentices outstripping supply

Thirty engineering apprenticeship

vacancies need to be filled to meet immediate demand and there will be another 40 to be filled shortly, says Apprentice Training New Zealand ( ATNZ), the country’s largest employer of mechanical engineering apprentices, which has launched a nationwide campaign to recruit engineering apprentices for businesses across New Zealand.

Jobs with a weekly pay packet and a training programme to gain an internationally recognised qualification are currently available in all areas of mechanical engineering: general engineering, machining, fitting, fabrication, maintenance engineering, refrigeration and air conditioning, mechanical building services, dairy systems, metal casting, toolmaking, and lock- smithing.

ATNZ general manager Toni Christie says there is real demand for quality candidates for quality roles. “There are genuine opportunities for apprenticeships that pay from day one. For jobseekers looking for a career in the engineering sector, it’s an excellent way to gain experience and a qualification without accruing student debt.”

ATNZ apprentice Ben Norton said that ATNZ placed him with an ‘ incredible’ company that has provided him with great opportunities and experiences, like going overseas for a month on a product install. “Other than buying some tools, I haven’t spent a cent on my apprenticeship. I believe doing an apprenticeship is the debt-free start to an amazing career,” he said.

Christie says ideal candidates will be aged 17 or over, have a full or restricted driver’s licence, have attended secondary school for three or four years, gained NCEA Level 2 in maths and English, and be a New Zealand citizen.

Candidates can apply for specific vacancies listed on the ATNZ website, or fill out a general engineering apprenticeship application form.

DETAILS, WWW.ATNZ.ORG.NZ.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING APPRENTICE JOJI CHUTE ON THE JOB AT PENROSE’S ALIVE FOODS (AKL).