Study Civil & Mechanical Engineering at SIT

The New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (NZDE) is an applied academic qualification of 2-year full time (240 credits) programme at level 6 on the NZQF and currently students have the ability to major in Civil or Mechanical Engineering.

A common curriculum and national examinations and moderation process provide confidence to industry over the consistent quality of graduates and the strong involvement of industry in the oversight of the qualification through the New Zealand Board of Engineering Board (NZBED) ensures that the qualification remains aligned with industry needs. NZDE is a national qualification that has been developed with industry’s call for technician level qualifications that recognise practical skills by combining quality academic study to national standards with a rigorous and structured assessment of practical skills.

Are you looking for a career that:

• Combines the application of technical knowledge and practical know-why?
• Has great job prospects in an area of high skill demand?
• Contributes significantly to New Zealand’s future development?
• Is supported by a structured national qualification pathway recognised by industry?
• Provides standing and recognition through a professional body?

There is a shortage of engineering professionals in New Zealand, and new graduates are in high demand. Many engineering jobs are on Immigration New Zealand’s skill shortage lists, which mean the Government is encouraging engineering professionals to migrate to New Zealand. Civil and structural engineers are especially in demand due to the rebuilding of Christchurch.

The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) is the professional body and registration authority for engineers in New Zealand. IPENZ has accredited the 2 year New Zealand Diploma in Engineering. IPENZ accreditation provides graduates with the added benefit of enhanced international recognition of their engineering qualification.

• Estimated average income for engineering professionals - $88,000
• Employment in engineering has generally expanded since 2003

On achievement of this qualification, graduates should:

• Be competent apply a technical and conceptual knowledge to practical situations.
• Be confident, critical thinkers who have the ability to solve problems within a broad engineering setting.
• Have developed capabilities as effective communicators, with inquiring, flexible, creative and critical attitudes towards contemporary issues and underlying theoretical concepts.
• Have an appreciation of management and information technology within the context of the qualification.
• Have an awareness of social, ethical and environmental issues.

The path is clear!

Originating from Sri Lanka, Joyel made the move to England and studied Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering at Kingston University in London after finishing high school.

After completing his qualification Joyel moved back to Sri Lanka and worked at Sri Lankan Airlines as a project Co-ordinator for a year before moving into a construction and project firm. There he worked in three capacities, first on a boat manufacturing project, followed by becoming a project manager overseeing the making of aluminium doors and windows that were exported to Australia and then as a sales engineer and promoted the products and provided technical support to clients.

In 2012 Joyel took the plunge and relocated to New Zealand to study the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Enterprise at SIT with ambitions of becoming a New Zealand resident, to provide the best environment and lifestyle for his young family. Following the strong experience he had in the aviation industry, Joyel focused his postgraduate dissertation on creating a competitor domestic airline for New Zealand.

In 2012 during his dissertation phase, Joyel joined SIT as a staff member and worked with the Trades faculty to develop and implement the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering. This diploma has two strands, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, for which he is the lead tutor. Joyel works strongly with the local engineering industry and employers to ensure graduates acquire the skills and knowledge needed to thrive upon graduation.

In 2013 Joyel was elected as the secretary of the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) Southland branch, a position he still holds.

Joyel is also excited about the development of the Bachelor of Engineering Technology, which SIT is currently preparing to deliver in the future.

For Mechanical Engineering apprentice Jaron Wallace, the decision to enter into a trade has been a successful one.  Before entering the Certificate in Mechanical Engineering at SIT, Jaron had recently finished school and was working fulltime. “I’d never done anything like that before, but I was interested in it. I worked at Nightcaps mill for a few months then decided to come to SIT and get a trade.” 

He chose a trade because he saw it as a valuable way to gain both a qualification and a career.  “I chose it so I would have something to fall back on, it’s always there.”  He chose SIT exclusively for a couple of reasons, “It’s Zero Fees and it’s close to home – I didn’t need to look anywhere else.”

The quality of the facilities and tutors were a high point for Jaron and the maturity level of the students provided an enjoyable learning environment. “It was good – heaps of good facilities and the tutors were really good too, easy to get along with.  It was a lot better than school because I was actually treated like an adult, treated fairly.”

Jaron found the amount of practical work, both at SIT and out on work experience, especially helpful. “I learnt the basics of engineering. When we were studying at SIT, for two weeks at a time, we would do a couple of hours a day in the engineering workshops. Then we would spend a week at work experience. The work experience was very good.”

Jaron was able to gain work experience in three different businesses, the last of which offered him a job at the culmination of his course.  “They offered me an apprenticeship straight out of SIT.  I was rapt.”

SIT Certificate in Mechanical Engineering graduate Nick Bastiaansen’s passion for engineering evolved from “backyard engineering with Dad”.  “I have always enjoyed building stuff and this was just a natural progression into doing it as a full time job,” he says. Nick chose SIT because it was local and the fabrication and machine shops were modern. He undertook three days a week onsite at SIT and then two days at Alliance Group, before he was offered an apprenticeship at dairy giant Fonterra. “SIT gave me the basics that I needed to be able to step into a workshop and begin working already knowing how to use a lot of the engineering equipment,” he says.

In 2014 Nick won the National World Skills title for Engineering and has been chosen to represent New Zealand as part of the Tool Blacks Team that will compete in Brazil in August 2015. Nick said a highlight of his career so far is when Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings congratulated him on his World Skills win in the Fonterra staff newsletter.  Nick’s supervisor Stacy Lines, Fonterra Southern Operations Maintenance Manager said Nick’s SIT training showed through.

“There is clear evidence of the benefits that Nick gained from SIT. The fundamental skill competencies learnt have allowed Nick to settle in his apprenticeship and deliver value to both himself and Fonterra. Demonstration of this is his achievements to date both at work and applying those trade skills in a competitive sense through World Skills,” Stacy says. Nick’s plans for the future are to complete SIT’s New Zealand Diploma in Engineering and become a fully qualified engineer. He also hopes to take out the Engineering World Skills title in Brazil 2015.