Front of House
Hospitality
Summer is traditionally the busiest time of the year with visitors coming to holiday and dine in our region. You will be helping guests to their tables, welcoming them, taking their orders, serving their food and drinks and managing customer queries. Front of house roles include hosts, wait staff, bar staff, barista etc. You should be outgoing, personable, and able to manage tricky customer questions, and work through a busy service.
What you'll need to bring to the role
Almost all roles involve working with customers and a crew of people so being well presented, personable and working well with a team is a must. Most of the skills required in this industry are trainable so you just need to be willing to learn.
What you'll get out of it
The jobs will come with on-the-job training and there are many opportunities to progress by completing a formal qualification – e.g. barista certificate, cookery qualifications, food and beverage service certificates, hospitality management qualification – and these skills and experience will open opportunities to travel and work anywhere.
What are your training options
Back of House
Hospitality
Top of the South is traditionally a holiday destination with visitors coming to explore and dine in our region at various time of the year. You will have a passion for food, cooking and working as part of the kitchen team during a busy service, you may be helping prepare meals and presenting dishes, to clearing and cleaning the pots, pans, and dishes.
What you'll need to bring to the role
Almost all roles involve working with customers and a crew of people so being well presented, personable and working well with a team is a must. Most of the skills required in this industry are trainable so you just need to be willing to learn.
What you'll get out of it?
The jobs will come with on-the-job training and there are many opportunities to progress by completing a formal qualification – e.g. barista certificate, cookery qualifications, food and beverage service certificates, hospitality management qualification – and these skills and experience will open opportunities to travel and work anywhere.
What are your training options
Attractions Coordinator, Adventure Guides
Tourism
Summer through to Autumn is traditionally the busiest time of the year in our region with visitors coming to holiday and experience the natural surroundings and adventures. These experiences attract visitors from all over the world, so you will be preparing visitors for the experience. You will need a guiding qualification (New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association Level 1 or more) as you will be responsible for the safety of visitors.
What you'll need to bring to the role
Almost all roles involve working with customers and a crew of people so being well presented, personable and working well with a team is a must. Local knowledge of the tourist attractions or places to visit will give you a head start, or you can quickly learn on the job. Most of the skills required in this industry are trainable so you just need to be willing to learn.
What you'll get out of it
The jobs will come with on-the-job training and there are many opportunities to progress by completing a formal qualification – e.g. kayak guiding, Kiwi Host, P endorsement, boat master – and these skills and experiences will open opportunities to travel and work anywhere.
What are your training options
Meat Processing
Meat
Meat processing work is factory-based and involves processing (e.g. boning, cutting, filleting), grading and packaging the meat. You’ll also operate processing machinery/knives and complete general day to day duties like cleaning.
What you’ll need to bring to the role
Meat processing work may involve slaughtering animals and you’ll be working with animal carcasses so it’s not for everyone. It may involve shift work, overtime, and weekends over the peak period.
What you’ll get out of it
The meat processing industry offers entry level work with minimal requirements. There may be apprenticeship opportunities (e.g. butcher) or pathways to supervisor or management roles.
What are your training options
Processing
Seafood Processing
Seafood processing roles vary and may include receiving, grading, and packing the products as well as general cleaning and maintenance. There is also secondary processing, such as coating fish fillets.
Roles are mostly on land, however, seafood processing also happens on-board deep sea fishing vessels (see Fishing – At Sea).
What you’ll need to bring to the role
During the peak periods factories run two to three shifts a day. The work is busy and involves being on your feet for long periods, so make sure you have good quality shoes. You will work as part of a large team and training is provided for the roles.
What you’ll get out of it
There are some opportunities for ongoing work and further training and career progression within seafood processing. You can also plan this work around opportunities in other industries. (e.g. apples, hops etc).
What are your training options
Milking, Processing
Dairy
During peak milking season cows are milked once or twice a day. This is also peak processing time at the dairy companies where milk is converted into products like cheese, butter, yoghurt and milk powder. You’ll find roles ranging from factory work and machinery operation to administration and management.
What you’ll need to bring to the role
Working on the farms is a busy hands-on job so you need to enjoy this type of work. Tasks include cleaning, feeding, milking (by machine) and care of animals. You’re likely to be working on a roster basis (i.e. set days on days off).
Dairy processing roles are factory-based, working in a team making dairy products. This can involve production line work, machinery and equipment operation and could mean night work if the business runs night and day shifts.
What you’ll get out of it
There are ongoing permanent roles on dairy farms if you enjoy this work and want to build a career in the industry.
Dairy processing roles offer experience in manufacturing and food science, which could lead to work in other similar industries and options for promotion.
What are your training options
Calving
Dairy
Dairy farms need additional labour for calving (birth of the calves) and calf rearing to ensure the animals are well-fed and healthy.
What you’ll need to bring to the role
Calf rearing is an important time on dairy farms because the female calves go on to produce the milk in two-three years. This is a busy hands-on job, working on the farm with animals so you need to enjoy this type of work.
What you’ll get out of it
There are ongoing permanent roles on dairy farms if you enjoy this work and want to build a career in the industry, including managing your own cows and/or farm.
What are your training options
Calving, Milking, Processing
Dairy
This will be the busiest time in the dairy world. Dairy farms need additional labour for calving (birth of the calves) and calf rearing; cows are milked once or twice a day and this is peak processing time at the dairy companies.
What you’ll need to bring to the role
The farm roles are all busy, hands-on jobs working on the farm with animals, so you need to enjoy this type of work. Dairy processing roles are factory-based, working in a team making dairy products.
What you’ll get out of it
There are ongoing permanent roles on dairy farms if you enjoy this work and want to build a career in the industry. Dairy processing roles offer experience in manufacturing and food science, which could lead to work in other similar industries and options for promotion.
What are your training options
Deep Sea Crew
Fishing at Sea
Fishing boats offer a diversity of roles, ranging from cook/galley hand to deckhands, onboard seafood processing, electricians, engineers, through to skipper.
During hoki season, fishing work increases and vessels take on extra staff to allow for the additional catch. This includes work based at the port to help with unloading.