Trades & Services Jobs
About the Trades & Services Industry in New Zealand
Recruitment Agencies we recommend
Tradestaff
Tradestaff is New Zealand's leading supplier of temporary and permanent workers to the trade sector. With 12 locations throughout the country Tradestaff has a broad range of work available now – from unskilled to highly specialised.
Globally, skilled trades are the highest in demand. The bottom line is that New Zealand needs skilled tradespeople to contribute to its development, and last year the Trades and Services industry was booming. It was among the fastest-growing industries on SEEK with a 16.9% increase in job opportunities. The industry recorded more than 3,400 new roles year-on-year and the average advertised salary was $59,646.
Growth in this industry was driven primarily by the housing market in Auckland, with the city accounting for 9.4% of the total growth in job opportunities year-on-year.
Roles advertised in Automotive Trades made up the biggest contribution to the overall growth in Trades & Services, with 3.7% growth in job opportunities year-on-year. This was followed by Labourers (2.5%) and roles in the Building Trades (2.3%).
Demand for Trades and Services in New Zealand
New Zealand suffers from a significant skills shortfall in the Trades & Services industry and there is subsequently a strong demand for talented individuals across a number of roles. The current shortage amounts to around 60,000 workers in building and construction alone.
The growth in job opportunities across Building Trades (2.3%) and Labouring (2.5%) was driven by the housing boom. New Zealand needs to continue to build more than 30,000 new homes each year if we are to keep up with rising demand. Half of the jobs shortfall is estimated to be for trades qualified workers. That translates into great opportunities for those considering construction as a career.
In addition, the building and construction industry is becoming increasingly specialised, meaning that there are qualifications available for specialized trades, and plenty of scope for employment in these areas.
The sector can be broken down into the following categories:
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Automotive trades
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Labourers
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Building trades
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Technicians
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Welders & Boilermakers
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Carpentry & Cabinet Making
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Cleaning Services
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Fitters, Turners & Machinists
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Gardening & Landscaping
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Hair & Beauty Services
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Nannies & Babysitters
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Locksmiths
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Bakers & Pastry Chefs
For Visa Applicants: Roles on the Skills Shortages List
If you are offered a job which appears on the list below, and you have the qualifications and experience to match, getting a work visa will be easier. This is because the government has identified that employers need to recruit people from overseas to help meet demand for your skills.
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Automotive Electrician
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Diesel Motor Mechanic (including Heavy Vehicle Inspector)
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Electrician (General)
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Electric Line Mechanic
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Baker
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Bricklayer
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Carpenter
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Carpenter and Joiner
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Composite Technician
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Electronic Equipment Trades Worker
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Fibrous Plasterer
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Floor Finisher
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Glazier
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Joiner
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Metal Casting Trades Worker (Foundry Moulder)
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Metal Fabricator
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Metal Machinist (First Class) (CNC Machinist)
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Motor Mechanic (General)
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Motor Mechanic (General) (Automotive Air Conditioning Technician)
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Panel Beater
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Plastics Technician
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Plastics Engineer
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Roof Tiler
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Roof Plumber
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Scaffolder
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Sheetmetal Trades Worker
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Solid Plasterer
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Stonemason
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Vehicle Painter
Featured Jobs
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Pick Pack + Reach Truck Experience - Christchurch - Immediate Start
City:
Christchurch
Job Type:
Permanent / Full Time
Date:
16/02/2026
Extrastaff are seeking a hardworking pick packer with reach truck experience for one of our clients in Christchurch, who specialise in kitchen accessories including cupboards, hardware, cutlery trays and units, along with flat packs. You must have a clean MOJ and be able to pass a pre-employment drug test.
What's in it for you:
Weekly pay
Superb support from management
Be apart of a major hardware supplier
Great hourly rate dependent on experience
;
What you will be doing:
Picking and pa
Solar Electrician - With testing experience
City:
Hamilton
Job Type:
Temporary
Date:
4/02/2026
Solar Electrician – PV Testing Team (CAL 8)
We’re on the lookout for experienced Solar Electricians to join a dedicated solar PV testing team. This role is ideal for electricians with strong solar knowledge who are confident working within structured testing environments and strict safety requirements.
About the Role You’ll be part of a two-person testing crew, working on solar PV systems and associated electrical infrastructure. Duties will include:
Live solar testing
Voc (open-circuit voltage) testing
IV curve testing
Non-live solar testing
Isc (short-circuit current) testing
Working…..
Carpenter Carpenter Carpenter
City:
Christchurch
Job Type:
Casual / Temporary / Contract
Date:
16/02/2026
Extrastaff are looking for experienced carpenters and hammerhand who have experience in framing, pre-nail framing and finishing work. Working on sites around Christchurch our client has several long-term projects, large and small scale fit-outs, and are looking for additional staff to assist on these projects.
The roles that are available are on-going and full time for the duration of the project through until the new year.
Previous experience in light commercial, fit-outs and residential requ
General Labourers
City:
Otago / Southland
Job Type:
Casual / Temporary / Contract
Date:
16/02/2026
OneStaff Invercargill is the leading supplier of temporary and permanent staff to many industrial-based clients in Southland.
OneStaff Invercargill is looking for reliable Labourers to join our team for a variety of temporary roles across Southland. With short & long-term opportunities in 2026, work could include Civil, Construction, Warehousing, Truck Driving , Forklifting and more.
What we're looking for:
Physically fit and ready to work
Candidates that are available now
Reliable transpor