Electrical Apprentice - South Island

About Aotea Energy

New Zealand has committed to a bold future: a fully electrified and resilient economy powered by renewable energy. Achieving it requires more than generation - it takes flexibility, storage, and intelligence at the edge of the grid.

We build the most affordable and intelligent battery system in NZ. Our Mark1 gives homeowners automated control over when they import and export electricity, combined with a power plan that provides direct access to the wholesale market - slashing bills in half. Whether a home has solar or not, the Mark1 makes it smarter. For solar households, it captures and deploys generation at the moments it's worth most. For everyone else, it trades directly against the wholesale market, without panels.

The Role

You'll start as an Electrical Apprentice - assisting installations, developing hands-on skills with inverter and battery systems, and working under close supervision. The expectation is that you grow into a fully qualified Electrician, taking on greater responsibility in the installation process as your skills and certification progress.

This isn't a static trade role. You'll be working on technology that sits at the frontier of how NZ homes interact with the grid, with a path to becoming a senior technical contributor as the South Island team scales.

What we need

You're enrolled in or eligible to begin an electrical apprenticeship in New Zealand. You show up, you learn fast, and you take your assessments seriously. You care about doing the job right - not just getting it done.

What you can expect

An Apprenticeship no one else in New Zealand / The World can offer.

Aotea Energy aims to be a true disruptor, and trend setter of the Future New Zealand Energy Industry. This means we offer our Electricians and Electrical Apprentices a far greater responsibility, and opportunity to learn about the industry far beyond the Electrical Trade.

An Enhanced Qualification beyond an Electrician.

Upon completion of your Apprenticeship, you’ll be able to obtain a Main Parallel Generation Endorsement to pair with your Registration. This will get you access to work on Electrical Systems like Batteries beyond what the standard NZ Registered Electrician can do.

A structured path to certification

We track all apprentices on a realistic certification timeline. Monthly check-ins keep your assessments on track and give you visibility of where you're heading.

Work that's technically interesting

You'll develop practical knowledge of battery systems, inverters, and grid-connected infrastructure - skills that are increasingly valuable as electrification accelerates across NZ.

Responsibility that grows with you

Early on, you'll be assisting and observing. As your capability develops, so does your ownership - of installs, of quality, and eventually of the standards we set for the whole team.

A say in how things are built

We're early stage. Installation playbooks, safety processes, training frameworks - these are being written now. You'll contribute to them, not just follow them.

Why it's a unique place to work

Frontier technology

Most electricians work on houses. You'll be working on how houses talk to the grid, installing systems that trade against the wholesale electricity market in real time.

Real traction

Not a concept. Real customers, real installs, real proof. And now we're scaling.

Mission that matters

Every installation puts another Kiwi household in control of their power. The quality of your work is what makes that promise real.

Things to know

We're a startup. The South Island team is growing, which means there's more opportunity here than in a large established firm - and more expectation that you'll take initiative.

Safety and compliance are non-negotiable. You'll be expected to own your part of that from day one, and to raise the standard as you grow.

Bonus points

Prior exposure to solar or battery installations

Genuine interest in the NZ energy transition

A track record of high achievement in trade study or previous employment