Maintenance Engineering

Career information

What do they do?

Maintenance engineers are responsible for making sure equipment and machines are reliable and run smoothly. They use computerised systems to oversee routine maintenance and organise repairs.

A typical day

Normally an eight-hour day; sometimes working longer may be required.

Work can include installing and maintaining machinery, shutting down maintenance work (e.g. within engineering, manufacturing, mining industries), making adjustments to meet production requirements, monitoring equipment condition, diagnosis and fault finding. You will usually be working onsite at a production/manufacturing business.

Sound like you?

Study areas
  • English or Media or History
  • Maths or Accounting or Economics
  • Sciences or Workshop Technologies
  • Computing/ICT/Information Management.
Attributes
  • Reasonable strength and fitness
  • Confidence with IT, computers, technology
  • Good organisational skills
  • Good work habits/time management
  • Good literacy and numeracy skills
  • Strong eye for detail.
Helpful experience
  • Making or fixing things
  • Working with machinery
  • Working with computers
  • Analysing, researching and problem solving.
Preferred work environments
  • Indoors (workshop or plant)
  • Outdoors
  • Different places from time to time.

Pathway

School

These can be useful from school:

Ideally NCEA Level 2 in:

  • Maths
  • Science (physics)
  • Technology (metal work)
  • English.
Entry level jobs

Apprenticeship

  • Maintenance Engineer
  • Machine Building and Installation Engineer
  • Fluid Power Technician.
Advancing jobs

Higher learning

  • Specialist Fabricator
  • Supervisor
  • Leading Hand
  • Workshop Supervisor
  • Welding Supervisor.
Senior jobs

Higher learning

  • Foreman
  • Site Supervisor
  • Business Manager
  • Business Owner.

The logistics sector needs skilled people

Learn more on the qualifications available.

Find out more

Available jobs

No jobs currently posted.
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