In-demand industries
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Food and fibre jobs
There are many roles involved in producing New Zealand’s food and fibre, which are essential to helping New Zealand through the recovery. These include:
- growing food
- dairy farming, and sheep and beef
- making those things into high value products and taking them to the world.
There are many opportunities to join the sector. In the next 5 years we need 50,000 people with a diverse range of interests, experiences and backgrounds. Opportunities range from seasonal jobs through to long-term careers.
GrowingNZ website
GrowingNZ can help with career advice in the sector. It also lists available roles across New Zealand.
Horticulture jobs
New Zealand is a large provider of fruit and vegetables to the world. This is what the horticulture sector supplies. New Zealand horticulture leads the way in healthy, sustainable food production — developing technology, growing and harvesting food, designing new products and selling them to the world.
The GoHort website can help you work out if a career in horticulture is right for you. It has information about careers in the science, business and technology sectors as well as working on an orchard.
GoHort JobBoard
The GoHort JobBoard showcases the career opportunities currently available in the horticultural sector.
You can list a job if you are an employer and find a job if you are looking for a new role.
Dairy sector jobs
Right now the dairy sector needs motivated and passionate people to work on dairy farms. There are many roles and career pathways with self-employed options available. Many of your existing skills may be transferable to a dairy farming role.
Dairy sector opportunities include working:
- on the farm as a herd manager, milker or farm assistant
- with animals
- in the agri-business sector advising farmers
- enhancing the environment
- as an agri-scientist.
Go Dairy website
You can find out which dairy sector careers, including on-farm roles, would best suit your skills and experience on the Go Dairy website.
Free training is available for people who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. The 3 week course includes 1 week online and 2 practical weeks.
Forestry jobs
Forestry roles involve much more than growing and harvesting plantation forests. Careers include:
- planting and managing native and exotic forests
- looking after the forest environment
- managing people and resources
- working with state-of-the-art technology
- operating multi-million dollar machines and equipment.
There are opportunities to suit your needs, from long-term positions to seasonal work.
Forestry Careers NZ
Forestry Careers NZ has a range of information on the roles available in the industry, career expectations, and skills and qualifications needed.
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