Careers in this pathway are all about supporting the community and caring for people, with jobs that are essential for community well-being and safety. It’s a high employment and high growth sector, and demand for frontline jobs in these industries is expected to continue for future years. (youthguarantee.education.govt.nz)
A wide range of rewarding careers can be found in health, from clinical jobs which usually require formal study and tertiary training after leaving school, to non-clinical roles such as administration, HR, ICT specialists and kitchen and maintenance staff.
Did you know…?
A greater focus on mental health is leading to more opportunities for skilled healthcare candidates and opportunities in psychology, counselling and social work rose by 31% year-on-year (seek.co.nz).
A career in health, community and social services may be for you if you…
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- can empathise with people
- are a great communicator
- love working as part of a team
- keep cool under pressure
- have loads of compassion
- have a strong work ethic
- manage time efficiently
- enjoy helping others
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Job and Pay Examples in the Health Sector
| JOB | PAY PER YEAR | OPPORTUNITIES |
|---|---|---|
| Anaesthetic Technician | $52K to $119K | Good |
| Anaesthetist | $64K to $251K | Good |
| Audiologist | $50K to $75K | Good |
| Case Manager | $60K to $80K | Good |
| Clinical Coder | $76K to $93K | Good |
| Clinical Physiologist | $59K to $119K | Good |
| Community Development Worker | $60K to $80K | Good |
| Counsellor | $57K to $119K | Good |
| Dental Assistant | $48K to $62K | Good |
| Dental Technician | $48K to $75K | Good |
| Dentist | $129 to $254K | Average |
| Diagnostic Radiologist | $64K to $251K | Good |
| Dietitian | $59K to $119K | Average |
| Epidemiologist | $50K to $175K | Good |
| General Practitioner | $187K | Good |
| Health Promoter | $58K to $119K | Average |
| Health Services Manager | $65K to $245K | Good |
| Medical Physicist | $65K to $161K | Good |
| Midwife | $77K to $153K | Good |
| Occupational Therapist | $58K to $119K | Average |
| Optometrist | $65K to $225K | Good |
| Paramedic | $84K to $123K | Good |
| Pathologist | $64K to $251K | Good |
| Pharmacy Technician | $52K to $80K | Good |
| Pharmacist | $58K to $119K | Good |
| Phlebotomist | $52K to $82K | Average |
| Physician | $64K to $251K | Good |
| Physiotherapist | $58K to $119K | Good |
| Podiatrist | $50K to $98K | Good |
| Psychologist | $55K to $150K | Good |
| Psychiatrist | $64K to $251K | Good |
| Psychotherapist | $68K to $118K | Average |
| Radiation Therapist | $66K to $124K | Average |
| Registered Nurse | $68K to $153K | Good |
| Social Worker | $59K to $118K | Average |
| Speech Language Therapist | $55K to $119K | Good |
| Sterilising Technician | $52K to $75K | Good |
| Surgeon | $64K to $251K | Good |
*Rates are based on full time work and are an indication only
Source: careers.govt.nz
Waikato Snapshot »
Waikato’s population is predicted to grow by about 40% between 2013 and 2063. This population growth is leading to a growing demand for healthcare services and the region’s advertised healthcare and medical roles increased by 17% year-on-year. Aged care and mental health are areas experiencing increasing opportunities but there is a very consistent demand across almost all areas of healthcare (Seek Employment Trends).
Research from New Zealand’s Ministry for Social Development predicts the number of people aged 65 years and over will increase from around 550,000 in 2009 to 1 million in the late 2020s. SEEK data shows opportunities in aged care grew by 8% year-on-year (seek.co.nz).
Waikato District Health Board is always looking for talented people at the start of their career or with proven experience. Working at a district health board is a great way to develop your career because the size of the organisation and the variety of the services creates many opportunities for learning and growing your skills and knowledge (waikatodhb.health.nz).
Qualifications in this sector
Whether you are looking to study at Wintec, the University of Waikato, or Vision College, options include…
» Wintec
» Bachelor of Midwifery
» Enrolled Nursing (Level 5)
» Bachelor of Nursing
» Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science
» Bachelor of Physiotherapy
» Bachelor of Social Work
» Paetahi Tumu Kōrero Bachelor of Counselling
» NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4)
» Primary Care Practice Assistance (Level 4)
» Vision College
» NZ Certificate in Christian Ministry (Level 4)
» NZ Diploma in Christian Studies (Level 5)
» University of Waikato
» Bachelor of Health (BHealth)
» Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Performance (BHSHP) majoring in Community Health
» Bachelor of Nursing (BNurs)
» Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Cert. Health and Wellbeing)
» Psychology major in either a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc) or Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSci)
» Jump to qualifications in Education
Education
While teaching is a demanding career, it is rewarding and offers the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives.
New Zealand needs well-qualified, dynamic, and enthusiastic teachers who enjoy working with young people (teachnz.org.nz).
Talking with experienced teachers, recent student teachers, careers advisors and principals can be a great help in deciding whether teaching is for you. You can also contact your nearest tertiary provider and discuss what it’s like to be in the classroom or ECE centre. They may be able to arrange for you to spend some time observing a class or centre in action (teachnz.org.nz).
Qualifications
University of Waikato
- Bachelor of Teaching (BTchg) for Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary
- Graduate Diploma in Teaching (GradDipTchg)
Wintec
- Te Paetahi Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Vision College
- NZ Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 3 and 4)
- NZ Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5)
What’s it like working in Early Childhood Education?
Central Kids Early Education offers a child-led, community-focused and learning through play approach, with about 500 team members at 49 kindergartens and 8 early learning centres throughout Waikato and Bay of Plenty. Central Kids has an excellent team culture and focus on professional development.
They look for team members who are:
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- Dynamic
- Committed
- Team players
- Passionate about making a difference to tamariki and whānau
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FutureForce® caught up with Early Childhood Teacher Jelena Kidd to find out more »
more career profiles in this sector:
Bellina Lu
Community Pharmacist »
Lauren
Nurse »
Tipene
Social Worker »