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Marine Technician

Marine Technicians are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the ship’s engines, as well as additional equipment and systems that contribute toward the ship's ability to 'float and move'. As a Marine Technician you are trained to be an expert in the field, making a major contribution towards ensuring the ship is always ready to sail at a moments notice. Without you, the ship doesn’t sail!

As modern warships contain more sophisticated technology and a greater range of equipment than a jet aircraft you will operate and maintain a wide range of equipment including: diesel engines, gas turbines (jet engines), electrical power generation, power distribution systems, machinery control and monitoring systems, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, refrigeration and air conditioning plants, sewage treatment plants, desalination equipment (making fresh water from sea water), liquid storage, hull and Internal Fittings.

To best deal with the wide range of machinery and equipment onboard the ships, during your Basic Technician Course, you will select one of two specialisations; electrical or propulsion according to your interests and skills.

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Pre-joining Requirements
Training
Your Lifestyle
Qualifications
Your Future
Career Progression
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Career Progression Chart

Pre-joining Requirements

Be a minimum of 17 years of age
Have completed at least three years of secondary education
Be a NZ citizen or have permanent residency and have lived in NZ for five years
Be medically fit for service
Be of good character – assessed by study of testimonials and a police record check
Be free of any criminal convictions for the previous two years
Minimum 80 credits at level one
Minimum 12 credits in maths and English at level one or above
Minimum of 12 credits in science or physics at level one or above

Download the Entry Requirements Guide to see what school subjects and credits are required.

Your Lifestyle
All RNZN ships require the capability to ‘float and move’; therefore Marine Technician positions exist on every HMNZ Ship within the Fleet. Because ships at sea run 24 hours a day, as a Marine Technician you will work in shifts monitoring the ships engines and other machinery plants to ensure they are running smoothly and efficiently. Like everyone else onboard, you will also participate in general shipboard duties and activities not connected with your specialised role and have the opportunity to visit different ports and environments both in New Zealand and overseas.

Training
Marine Technicians have to know how to operate and maintain all their equipment, engine plants and systems in all conditions to ensure the ship is fully functional. To achieve this you will be thoroughly trained in equipment fault diagnosis and repair through the use of state-of-the-art monitoring and analysis equipment.

Following Basic Common Training, you spend approximately 43 weeks completing Basic Marine Technician Training and specialisation training at the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland. On completion of this course, you spend 18 months to two years undergoing on-the-job training both at sea and ashore to gain experience before completing your advanced Electrical or Propulsion course. Successful completion of this advanced course will leave you professionally qualified for promotion to Leading Hand.

The Basic and Advanced Marine Technician courses cover such topics as; safety, fuels, welding, turning, lubrication, refrigeration, power generation and distribution, mechanics, hydraulics, and system specific skills such as maintenance of the Gas Turbine engines and the Sewerage Treatment Plants. The learning doesn’t stop in the classroom however, you will complete a ‘task book’ and other certificates whilst completing on-the-job training onboard a ship which contributes towards meeting the requirements for further promotion.

Qualifications Earned
As part of your naval studies as a Marine Technician the unit standards you complete contribute towards a National Certificate (Level 4) in either Mechanical Engineering (Maintenance Engineering) for Propulsion Specialists or Mechanical Engineering (Electrical Engineering) and registration through the Electrical Workers Registration Board for Electrical Specialists. These qualifications are instructed by the Navy’s Technical Schools in accordance with the National Qualification Framework and are gained in addition to other professional naval qualifications. The Navy meets all costs of this training, which is usually concluded within the first four years of a Marine Technician’s career.

Your Future
As a Junior Marine Technician you will spend the majority of your time completing training courses ashore at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland, or on a ship, consolidating your training and completing onboard training.

Senior Marine Technicians tend to spend more time working ashore than at sea. Shore postings for Marine Technicians provide a break from life at sea and also provide an opportunity to gain experience in other areas, such as ship repair, training and technical administration. The Navy is full of new ships and technology. With the remaining Protector Fleet ships arriving more and more opportunities are arising for Marine Technicians within the Fleet.

Career Progression
Your hard work, experience and training accomplishments as a Marine Technician are rewarded by promotions in rank and salary. You join the Navy as an Ordinary Rate completing Basic Common Training (BCT) and Basic Branch Training which is your Basic Marine Technician Training or AMT(2). After this specialist course you will post to sea or ashore to consolidate what you have learnt. After your time at sea you will need to complete your Advanced Technician Training as well as some further promotional courses before being promoted to Leading Hand.

Career Progression Chart