Whakatakoto te tūāpapa | Laying the foundation

At Contact, Te Mata Hiko, we're powering the lives of New Zealanders while helping shape a better energy future for Aotearoa. Through our Contact31 strategy, we're investing in the people, skills and capability that will keep renewable energy flowing for generations to come. From geothermal and hydro to wind and solar, we're building a resilient energy system and creating meaningful careers along the way.

This opportunity sits within our Hydro Maintenance team on the West Coast, supporting the operation of generation and monitoring sites across the South Island. From local hydro assets near Greymouth to opportunities to gain exposure across our wider South Island network, you'll be part of a team that keeps critical renewable energy infrastructure running safely and reliably. It's real work, in real environments, with experienced tradespeople who are passionate about passing on their knowledge to the next generation. 

Te āhua o te tūranga | The nature of the role

Imagine starting your career in a role where no two weeks look quite the same. One day you could be helping maintain electrical equipment at a hydro generation site, the next you might be supporting outage work, learning about machine testing, or travelling to another part of the South Island to gain hands-on experience alongside experienced electricians, fitters and technicians. As an Electrical Apprentice, you'll learn by doing, building practical trade skills while completing a formal apprenticeship programme and developing the foundations of a long-term career in the energy industry.

You'll join a small, supportive team where learning is part of everyday life. Over time you'll gain exposure to electrical maintenance, operational activities, work control procedures, plant monitoring and mechanical maintenance tasks, all while contributing to the safe and reliable operation of our hydro assets. Whether you're just starting out or looking to make a career change into the trades, this is an opportunity to learn from some of the best while building skills that will set you up for the future.

Ko wai koe | About you

You don't need to know everything on day one. What matters most is that you're curious, reliable and excited about learning a trade. You'll enjoy working with your hands, tackling practical challenges and being part of a team that looks out for one another. If you're someone who asks questions, takes ownership of your learning and is keen to build a rewarding long-term career, we'd love to hear from you.

To be successful, you'll need a genuine interest in electrical trade work, a strong work ethic and a willingness to travel when work takes you to different sites across the South Island. A full driver's licence is an important requirement, along with a commitment to completing your apprenticeship programme. Experience in physically demanding environments, previous work experience, relevant NCEA qualifications, or exposure to technical or trade-related work would be advantageous, but they aren't essential. We know great people come from a range of backgrounds, including those making a career change, so if this opportunity excites you, we'd encourage you to apply.

This is initially a four-year fixed-term apprenticeship, designed to give you the training, experience and support to build a long-term career in the energy industry.

Alongside meaningful work and nationally recognised training, you'll enjoy the backing of great leaders, experienced teammates and genuine opportunities to develop and grow your career. On top of that, you'll have access to a range of benefits including Southern Cross health insurance, above-average leave provisions, Contact Shares, our Good to be Home annual payment to support your wellbeing and home set-up, industry-leading parental leave, bi-annual energy benefits, and plenty more. We believe in looking after our people, because great careers are built when people feel supported both at work and at home.

Applications close Monday the 10th of August. 

Here at Contact Energy (Te Mata Hiko), we know our strength lies in developing a sense of belonging - one that helps us attract and retain people with a broad range of perspectives and experiences.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our customers and communities to help build a better Aotearoa New Zealand.

We have a rich community of talented people that we support to thrive at Contact.

Our inclusive hiring process is designed to embrace the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring a wide range of perspectives are included in our decision-making and helping reduce bias along the way.

The wellbeing of our kaimahi is super important to us.

We use employee insights to offer a range of initiatives and resources to support physical, mental, financial and emotional wellbeing – including flexible working arrangements, employee network groups and a market-leading parental leave policy.

At Te Mata Hiko, we want everyone to thrive. We welcome applicants far and wide - of every age, stage, background, and pride. Join us and be part of a team that values your passion and attitude just as much as your experience and skills.

Please note, only candidates with the right to live and work in New Zealand will be considered for this role.

Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet 60% of the criteria, women and those in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they tick every box. We're not about box ticking, so if you think you have what it takes but don't meet everything stated above, please still get in touch. We'd love to kōrero.

Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) does not accept any CVs received from recruitment agencies where a formal engagement has not been confirmed and agreed to with our Talent team. In the event that unsolicited CVs are submitted by recruitment agencies, Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and consider them for current/future vacancies without any financial obligation to the recruitment agency in question. This will also apply to any CVs sent directly to line managers.