New Zealand industry is in desperate need of skilled maintenance technicians, to meet this need MaintainNZ offers two exciting pre-apprentice programmes. These courses are designed to assist you to get into an engineering career by delivering the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for graduates to get a head start into engineering. Courses that can fast track you into an apprenticeship or maybe further study with AUT University.

Pre-apprentice programme

The first programme is conducted in conjunction with Kawerau College and prospective trainees should have completed NCEA level 1 with credits in English Mathematics and Science. Trainees complete the new engineering level 1 Tools for Work programme at the College in the first half of the year along with advancing their NCEA credits. Trainees will also spend some time at MaintainNZ getting accustomed to the workshop training environment.

In the second half of the year trainees will spend the majority of their time at MaintainNZ completing the AUT University Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Trade Skills (level 2) which also includes National Certificate level 2 in mechanical engineering.

Link to Kawerau College website

Certificate in Engineering Technology

The second programme is especially designed for prospective trainees who want a career in engineering and who have completed level 2 NCEA at high school. Trainees undertake the AUT University Certificate in Engineering Technology (level 3), which as well as including National Certificate level 2 mechanical and electrical studies, also includes introductory studies into the maintenance engineering discipline. This programme thus offers the opportunity for trainees to get a taste of both the mechanical and electrical disciplines and to give them a better basis for ultimate career choice.

The Qualifications

Both the Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Trade Skills and the Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Technology are approved qualifications within the School of Engineering at AUT University and allow for trainees to staircase seamlessly into the Diploma in Maintenance and Reliability Engineering, and the National Diploma in Engineering (NDE).

Becoming a MaintainNZ Trainee

To enquire about your training, please contact the MaintainNZ office or email .