Construction:

Labouring, building, demolition, electrical, excavation, concreting, landscape architect, interior designer, carpentry, plastering, painting, decorating, joinery, flooring, scaffolding, roofing, tiling, glazing, glass processing, brick-laying, plumbing, gas fitting, drain laying, drafting plans, quantity surveying, engineering, installing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, providing products or services to the industry.

Infrastructure:

Laying pipes, laying drains, road building and repair, building dams, wharves, airport runways, building and maintaining telecommunication and electricity networks.

Where might I end up?

You could be a:

• foreperson, supervisor, manager, contractor, business owner, master builder, architect, architectural draughtsman, engineer, project manager in both construction and infrastructure. 

There are a huge number of roles and occupations available in this sector, ranging from entry level through to high level.

NCEA level 2 is the minimum you need for entry level jobs or apprenticeships. This gives you a good foundation in the skills and competencies you will need to go further. For other roles, you’ll definitely need to further your education after school by undertaking tertiary study, or training on the job.

More information about all the roles listed here can be found on the Careers New Zealand website, along with key information about the job, what it pays, and current opportunities. To find out the pay, prospects, and study costs of a number of jobs you can also check out the Occupation Outlook.

The asterisks in the following table show the level (or levels) of qualification usually associated with the role.

Sometimes you need a specific qualification to get into a job, but in many areas you can work towards higher qualifications by learning on the job. Check out the job profiles on Careers NZ, or talk to your careers advisor to find out more.