As a Maintenance Fitter, you are a specialist in a vast range of engineering maintenance skills who provides comprehensive support to ground systems used by the New Zealand Army.

  • Service
    Army
  • Specialisation
    Engineering and Technical Trades
  • Location
    Trentham
  • Starting Trade Training
    $64,177
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About the role

As a Maintenance Fitter, you are responsible for maintaining and repairing the diverse range of mechanical and electrical equipment used by the New Zealand Army. Whether you are tasked to provide engineering maintenance support in the Pacific, conduct structural welding on an overseas mission or be undertaking hydraulic repairs to equipment within New Zealand, no day will ever be the same.

Job on base

As a Maintenance Fitter within one of the New Zealand Army Camps, your expertise will be called upon to undertake a variety of work. As well as providing all types of repairs to the equipment you have been trained to maintain, you will be heavily involved in engineering problems that need solutions every day.

As well as providing Maintenance Fitter outputs, you will also be able to experience all the benefits of being a member of the Defence Force such as regular physical training and continue with your soldier activities including weapons and first aid training.

Job on deployment

As a Maintenance Fitter you are employed on a variety of overseas exercises and deployments in support of operational units and activities. Maintenance Fitters are regularly deployed to Antarctica and have recently been deployed in Afghanistan and Sinai working from within the main deployment base.

Maintenance Fitters service and repair a wide variety of our mechanical and electrical equipment. Throughout your career, you'll get to specialise in lots of different types. For example, Ben looks after the Karcher Tactical Field Kitchen for our caterers.

Career progression and training

Career Progression

Basic Training

Job Training

Ongoing Training

Specialist Training

As your career progresses, you will learn about a wider range of equipment from qualified instructors both at the Army’s Trade Training School and at your place of work. You will attend professional development courses such as promotional courses, experiential leadership development activities. You can also train to become a recruit instructor.

Upon successful enlistment into the Army you will be posted to Waiouru Army base. Here you will do 16 weeks of basic military training to find out if you have what it takes to be in the Army, and learn various subjects including:

  • Organisation and Administration
  • Army Customs and Protocol
  • Drill and Parades
  • Military Field Skills and Weapon Training
  • First Aid
  • Physical Fitness

TRADE TRAINING SCHOOL (TTS), TRENTHAM, WELLINGTON

Initial trade training is conducted at TTS, where you will be introduced to the Royal NZ Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR). While at TTS you will complete two course modules which will provide you with an insight into RNZALR and the part that you will play in the New Zealand Army..

BASIC MAINTENANCE FITTERS COURSE

This is the beginning of your journey as a Maintenance Fitter where you will begin you General Engineering Apprenticeship. This nine month course is designed to give you the basic engineering knowledge and skills to become a Maintenance Fitter. Engineering learning covers a range of subjects which include an introduction to hand tools, basic mechanical fitting, gas/arc/mig welding and metal machining. you will also complete Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship unit standard correspondence via learning online.

JUNIOR MAINTENANCE FITTERS COURSE

This six month course builds on everything learned during the Basic Maintenance Fitter Course. You will begin learning more advanced welding techniques and complete complex machining projects. Various mechanical engineering unit standards are completed which will see your trade knowledge start expanding to a much higher level.

MAINTENANCE FITTER SENIOR EQUIPMENT COURSE

This eight week course is in the final year of your apprenticeship and covers advanced Operational Equipment Repairs. THe course covers learning in subjects such as Vehicle Armor Composite Repairs, Fuel Dispensing Equipment and Operational Hydraulics. You will also complete your remaining Mechanical Engineering Unit Standards.

MAINTENANCE FITTER SENIOR WELDING COURSE (SMFSW)

This is the final course of your apprenticeship. This eight week course expands on the welding skills you have and takes your welding ability to an advanced level. You will learn how to conduct structural welding and also complete your remaining welding unit standards.

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Salary and benefits

Careers in the Army are well-rewarded, diverse and exciting. As you become more experienced and move up through the ranks, gaining additional skills and qualifications, your salary will rise accordingly.

$50,597

Under Initial Training

$64,177

Starting Trade Training

$119,462

Future Potential Earnings

Figures updated on July 1st 2023

Benefits and allowances

Earn a competitive salary while training or learning your trade, along with additional allowances for time spent in the field, at sea, overseas, or deployed on operations.

In addition to salary and allowances, other benefits of joining the New Zealand Defence Force include:

Free and subsidised medical and dental care

Access to subsidised equipment on camp and bases

Subsidised food on camps and bases

Sponsored tertiary study programmes at all levels

Free access to gyms and swimming pools on camp and bases

Subsidised accomodation on camps and bases

Free and subsidised insurance cover

Help to buy a home and save for retirement

Opportunities to travel

Competitive superannuation

Entry requirements

Basics

Education

Fitness and Medical

Citizenship

Period of Service

  • You must be at least 17 years of age
  • Meet the citizenship and security requirements to gain CV security clearance for this trade
  • A Class 1 restricted licence is preferred, but is not compulsory.

3 years secondary school.

Note, that qualifications may be used to assess trade suitability.

  • You must be medically fit for service.
  • Colour perception restrictions may apply.

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required CV security clearance for this trade.

Find out if you’re eligible here.

Once you have completed training you will be required to give a two year return of service to the NZ Army.

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Ready to start your Army career?

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