Licences, tickets and certificates that help you get hired in NZ

Driver licences

Endorsements are added to your licence after a course or test. Examples are P (passenger), V (vehicle recovery), I (driving instructor), F (forklift on a road), R (roller), T (tracked vehicles) and W (wheeled specialist vehicles). Most heavy classes require you to hold the class below first.

Forklift

• Driving a forklift on a public road needs an F endorsement on your licence, plus the licence class for the weight of the forklift including its load.
• The F endorsement unit standard is 18496. NZQA lists a prerequisite of a current full class licence other than Class 6. Check the NZTA site for the current rules.
• A course certificate alone doesn't let you drive on the road. The endorsement must be on your licence. You apply through a driver licensing agent.
• Inside a warehouse, employers usually want an operator's certificate or a workplace-based forklift qualification. This is a workplace ticket, not a licence, so ask the employer what they accept.

Construction and site tickets

• Site Safe passport: widely asked for on construction sites. Providers run one-day courses.
• Working at height, confined space, hazardous substances, traffic management (TTM) and scaffolding certificates apply to particular jobs. Do the ones that appear in the job ads you want.
• Health and safety rep training and first aid are valued almost everywhere.

First aid

A current first aid certificate (providers commonly set a validity of around 2 years, so check with yours) is a cheap addition to many CVs. Make sure the provider is NZQA-recognised, as workplaces may require specific unit standards.

Paying for it

• Course Participation Assistance: up to $1,000 over 52 weeks for people on a benefit, for courses under 12 weeks.
• Skills for Industry includes basic workplace training such as safety training.
• Ask the employer. Some pay for tickets after you start.
• Do not buy a ticket 'to be safe' before you know what's asked for. Employers differ.