Last Updated on April 29, 2025

When you want to flex your strengths, it is good to be looking for work in sectors that are growing quickly but lacking skilled people. So, which workers are the most sought-after at the moment, and do you have what it takes to snap up the lucrative jobs on offer? For a few years, New Zealand experienced extreme shortages of key workers, but these have started to stabilise. 

Nearly half the country’s businesses reported no, or only minor, skills shortages and a fifth reported that things had eased. However, there are still shortages in quite a few job titles and opportunities across many industries. Some of these are historic shortages, and others are from new and burgeoning industries that are drawing all the talent. 

Education, defence, and architecture are experiencing skills shortages. The trouble is, if you are thinking of changing careers, you will need to have more than just transferable skills to bag a position in those industries. Education and architecture both require specialist education and training. In the case of architecture, this can take almost as long as training to become a doctor. Accountants, Executive Assistants, and specialised Software Developers are also in short supply. 

The gaming industry is a growing sector in New Zealand with an extensive range of job opportunities. From game designers to software programmers, animators, marketers, and salespeople, gaming is part of the country’s growing entertainment industry. Mobile gaming is particularly popular, with iGaming being a top choice for many people looking to enjoy their downtime. 

While the industry is based on fun, it supports a massive range of job opportunities, and all kinds of people find rewarding work in the sector. Review sites, online platforms, and land-based casinos offer excellent working conditions. They are always on the lookout for bright, creative employees who can adapt to a fast-paced environment. We’ve seen a huge number of jobs open up in the online casino sector, on top of this, with almost all land-based casinos now having an online presence. From this, we’ve also seen third-party review sites becoming a big business too. A company like Casino.org looks for minimum deposit offers for iGamers online, showing that the market has swathes of different avenues and is still ever-expanding, meaning even more jobs. The industry has opportunities for writers, IT specialists, and gaming generalists. Jobs on offer can be lucrative and attractive, often involving work-from-home or blended positions. 

If you are looking for something more specialist and have specific qualifications, here are some of the most in-demand roles for 2025. If you can fit into these job titles, they are the ones that have the strongest demand, so you can flex your negotiating skills for any of the following.

• Accountants 
• Cyber Security Specialists
• Office Support 
• Project Administrators
• Engineers
• Software Developers 
• Technology Infrastructure Specialists

Accountants

The number of people taking accounting degrees has led to a skills imbalance, and all sectors are on the hunt. However, it is not just the most highly qualified positions that are vacant; there are opportunities for Payroll Officers, Finance Managers, Technical Financial Accountants, and Management Accountants.  This is a lucrative profession, as Finance Managers can typically earn between $135k and $170k, and the upper limit can push the $220k mark.

Cybersecurity Specialists

With increasing reliance on digital data and continued government regulation over security, cybersecurity specialists are needed across all industry sectors. Cyber security engineers can earn around $140k, a penetration tester $155k and cyber security architect around $180k

Office support

Again, office support staff are needed across all industry sectors, from entry-level to senior executive assistants. These are the people who hold companies together and keep everything connected and everything moving. Administrators help make everyone else’s job possible, whether front of house in the entertainment or service industries, or a legal or general secretary in a major corporation. Office, practice, and business managers are in short supply. A typical Executive assistant in Auckland, Christchurch, or Wellington earns around $80k.

Project administrators do similar work to office administrators but on specific projects for companies and organisations. These roles generally suit well-organised people who are proficient in spreadsheets, documents, and databases. Great people skills are often a requirement for these roles, too. 

Engineers

The energy transition and all kinds of infrastructure projects by federal and state governments have led to a shortage of engineers from Civil to Structural, Electrical, and Grid. These are the minds that turn ideas into realities and make stuff work. 

Software Developers

There is so much talk about the rise of AI, whether it be ChatGPT, CoPilot, or the latest entrant, DeepSeek, that it could be easy to think that they will be doing all the software and computing jobs for us. However, that is not the case, and specialist Software Developers who understand technology like ServiceNow, Oracle, and Salesforce are in short supply. Many organisations (and governments) want to bring projects in-house and undertake digital transformations. They are looking for developers to design, build, and maintain IT solutions rather than outsourcing these roles.

Technology Infrastructure

Anyone who can help keep the IT infrastructure running is a highly valued asset in today’s corporate world. Help Desk Managers, Service and Infrastructure Managers, and Desktop Support Executives are needed in all industries. Depending on experience and tasks undertaken, people in these roles can earn between $65k and $150k in Wellington and Auckland.

Sticking to the basics

If all of those jobs sound too specific, do not worry; plenty of jobs are available across almost all industry sectors in the country. The biggest industries are agriculture, tourism, food, and drink. 

There is exciting growth in areas like advanced transport – which is hardly surprising when considering how remote the country is from so much of the world. 

Aquaculture is also on the rise – the vast sea space and geographical isolation mean that New Zealand is a leader in sustainable and innovative aquaculture. The country boasts some of the world’s best seafood, including salmon, oysters, and mussels.

Renewable energy is also a key growth sector, as the country has abundant natural resources, a national ethos of sustainability, and world-class technologies. 

Food continues to be a dominant part of New Zealand’s economy thanks to its temperate climate, fertile soil, and pristine ocean. It might be remote, but it exports premium food and beverage products to over 120 countries. Whether your passion is Sauvignon Blanc, craft beer, kiwifruit, seafood, or apples, the food industry is always searching for fresh talent.