Jobs & Money Detail
Engineering a move to NZ
James Swailes of Kiwi engineering recruitment firm CRS Recruit, answers our questions regarding opportunities for British engineers in New Zealand
Is there any shortage of engineers in NZ?
We still have noticeable skills shortages for Planning Engineers, Design Engineers, Bridge Engineers, Structural Engineers, Rail Specialists, Road/Highway Engineers, and Environmental Engineers and generally Civil Engineers are still sought after. With the economy improving over here these shortages will soon become much worse.
Are there any areas where specific engineering opportunities are more plentiful than others?
We find that the greatest demand is still within the big centres; Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch but recently have noticed a shift to having a lot of requirements in some of the faster growing suburbs - in other words, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Nelson, Timaru, Thames. These are the more rural areas and while perhaps not as attractive to people wanting the hustle and bustle of city life, the cost of living is cheaper in these locations and the career opportunities can also be excellent.
Do you receive enquiries from many British engineers regarding employment opportunities in New Zealand?
Yes we probably get between 5-20 per month, but there is some fluctuation due to time of the year and also the state of the economy over in the UK – we have noticed an increase in the numbers in the last 12 months, mainly due to the downturn of work within the engineering sector over in the UK.
What reasons do British clients tend to give for wanting to continue their career in NZ?
The reasons tend to vary we get a large number of application from engineers with young families who are looking to move out here to take advantage of the better standard of living and also for the potential opportunities available to their children in the future. We also get a number of applications from young single people or couples who are travelling around the world and identify NZ as their favoured spot – virtually everyone I know who has done the overseas travel after university or as a year out has picked NZ as the location they would like to settle. Other reasons tend to be good career opportunities, lifestyle, more relaxed pace of life and outdoor living.
What kind of qualifications and experience would a British engineer need in order to stand the best chance of being recruited by a Kiwi engineering firm?
In terms of qualifications a degree from a UK university is still held in very high regard and the majority of engineering roles we recruit for ask for tertiary qualifications – some contractors will consider candidates who have come up the experience route but just like the UK for consultancies and most practises a degree is very much in demand. UK work experience is very desirable as construction and engineering is done in a very similar way. The majority of businesses we partner with see experience within the UK as a good base of experience for working in NZ. You have also got to consider that a number of our clients and contacts within businesses are from the UK or if not they are New Zealanders who have spent a few years working in the UK as part of their 'overseas experience' so they know the UK market and have a great respect for the experience gained over there.
How can CRS help British engineers find work?
As I'm from the UK and have recruited in that market for 12 years I understand the experience gained and can talk openly and honestly with candidates about my experience of moving out here and in representing them I can talk to prospective employers about the UK experience they have. I also speak to all my candidates and conduct face to face interviews using Skype rather than just being an email address – we work in partnership with some of the biggest employers in NZ and a number of these are accredited by the Immigration New Zealand. We can also recruit people from the UK and get them working over here through the talent visa process – this is a quick and painless process and can be turned round in just a few weeks, something that does surprise a few candidates!
For more info: CRS Recruit
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