Support your students into hands-on, rewarding careers
A Masterlink apprenticeship is a brilliant way for students to get started in plumbing, gasfitting, or drainlaying. Apprentices learn on the job, earning while they gain real-world skills. It’s perfect for students who are curious, practical, and ready to roll up their sleeves — and we also provide extra support for students who learn differently, including neurodivergent learners.
Why a Masterlink apprenticeship?
Apprentices can work on all sorts of jobs — from small repairs to huge new projects, residential and commercial sites. The variety keeps things engaging, with something new to learn every day!
It’s hands-on work that’s both challenging and rewarding.
Apprentices develop problem-solving skills, technical know-how, and confidence in the workplace. And it’s future-proof — even with AI transforming industries, people will always need plumbers and tradespeople. They’re also first-line workers in emergencies, keeping homes, businesses, and communities safe.
Gone are the days when trades were seen as a last resort.
Today, a qualification can set students on a path to a well-paid, respected career — and for those who go on to run their own businesses, it means choosing when they work and how, all while making a great living. Many apprentices even start their own companies or become partners in established ones. Plumbing and trades are becoming more diverse, and Masterlink is the largest employer of female apprentices in Aotearoa, offering a practical, rewarding career for students of all backgrounds.
Which students will thrive?
Apprenticeships are great for students who:
- Love working with their hands and learning by doing
- Are curious, motivated, and enjoy solving problems
- Benefit from extra guidance or structured support (including neurodivergent students)
- Want a career that’s practical, flexible, and full of opportunity
Resources to help you guide students
We’ve put together an information pack with everything you need to introduce students to PGD apprenticeships:
- Posters that highlight the different places a PGD qualification can take your career
- Information Booklets about becoming an apprentice
- Copies of the latest NZ Plumber magazine with real stories from current apprentices
- Masterlink merch to spark interest and conversation
Request an information pack
Fill out the form below and we’ll send a pack straight to your school. It’s full of resources to help your students explore exciting career pathways and see if a Masterlink apprenticeship is right for them.