Aa long-term shortage of electrical engineering technicians exists in New Zealand. The Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation (ESITO) estimates there are about 900 electrical engineering technicians in New Zealand. About 400 more will need to be trained or brought in from overseas by 2019 to meet demand, and replace those who leave the job or retire.

Investment in national infrastructure will create more jobs for electrical engineering technicians

Demand for electrical engineering technicians is likely to rise further for several reasons:

• The Government has brought forward a number of electrical infrastructure projects to help counter the effects of the 2008/2009 economic recession.
• Power companies are bringing in more sustainable forms of electricity generation due to public concern over climate change.
• It's estimated that Transpower (the state-owned company that maintains New Zealand’s national electricity networks) will increase spending on substation maintenance and development by about 3% a year.

This work will require the input of electrical engineering technicians.

Electrical engineering technicians work for companies that install, service and maintain electrical networks. These can be:

• electrical maintenance and contracting companies
• power generation companies
• engineering firms.