New Zealand is one of the few countries that has had a long-standing history of welcoming foreigners into their home. With a very friendly attitude towards migrants, a bustling economy, breath-taking natural geoformations, nice weather and a strong education system, what’s not to like about the Kiwi’s land? Furthermore, the country’s economy is stable and with such amazing natural landscapes, you’ll never run out of things to do. So, it’s no surprise that the country is attracting students from as far as Dubai, America and Europe.
Below are the country’s top three industries. These industries are constantly growing and always on the lookout for new talent to fill their ranks, so why not take a degree that will help you get one foot into that much sought-after door?
Agriculture
Agriculture is New Zealand’s biggest industry, generating about 70% of the country’s export earnings and making up 12% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). So what exactly does the country export? Why, dairy and sheep meat of course! Horticulture, a sub-industry, is also a strong economic performer. With NZ$5billion worth of sales (domestic and export), the country sees a lot of backpackers meeting the demand for horticulture season jobs such as fruit picking.
There is a skills shortage in many areas within agriculture, such as beekeeping, dairy, beef, logging, pig farming, logging, agricultural science, animal science, biotechnology and viticulture.
Massey University offers a Bachelor of Agriscience (Horticulture) with great lecturers, field trips and interactive classes. Many top-performing universities offer robust programmes in biotechnology such as the University of Waikato and the University of Auckland.
Construction
Due to the vast amount of land in New Zealand, construction is a huge industry in the country. There is strong demand for skilled professionals like scaffolders, foremen, survey technicians, engineers and others. Students interested in a career in this industry can consider taking degrees in construction management, building science and quantity surveying.
Auckland University of Technology and Massey University offer 13 different construction courses between the two of them.
Interested in studying construction in New Zealand? Have a look at this list of universities that offer the course.
Tourism
Being a hugely popular tourist destination, it’s no wonder that 1 in every 11 New Zealanders are in the tourism industry. It is second to dairy farming for foreign exchange earnings. The industry involves various sectors such as transportations, hospitality, food, beverages and entertainment. There is an abundance of careers that you can choose from within this ever-growing industry. Think that the usual office-bound, 9-5 job doesn’t suit your personality? Then why not consider becoming a bungee jumping instructor or an extreme adventurer tour guide? That way you get to keep fit, meet new people AND avoid that dreaded office boredom! The New Zealand government is constantly rolling out new initiatives to market the country in an increasingly competitive international tourism climate. There is bound to be a career just for you here!
Universities such as the University of Otago and Victoria University all offer courses in tourism at all levels from undergraduate to postgraduate. Degrees in hospitality, transport and logistics, communications and food and beverages are also offered in most New Zealand institutions.
As we’ve previously mentioned, the country’s warm attitude towards immigrants means that it is much easier for you to acquire a work visa and subsequently apply for a residency! Upon graduation, you’re allowed to work in the country for a maximum period of twelve months, and if the job that you have is related to the degree that you’ve obtained, then you can apply for permanent residency which has a high probability of getting approved within 6 months of your application. How awesome is that? This is probably why the country sees more than 100,000 international students each year!
Excited by the prospect of studying in New Zealand? Start your course search now.
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