Guides / After high school
What to do after high school in NZ – when you've got no idea
If you're finishing school and don't know what's next, you're in the majority – even if it doesn't feel like it. Here are your real options in New Zealand, and a simple way to work out which one fits you.
Your options after school
1. Get a job
Working is a real choice, not a fallback. You earn, you learn how workplaces work and you find out what you like (and don't). Retail, hospitality, warehousing, labouring and customer service are common first jobs – and many employers train people who show up and work hard. Start with our guide to getting your first job.
2. Start an apprenticeship
An apprenticeship is a real job where you're paid while you train towards a qualification – as an electrician, plumber, builder, mechanic, chef, hairdresser and many more. You can start at 16 and you need an employer first (Tahatū) – then you earn while you learn. Our apprenticeships guide explains how it works, what you get paid and how to find an employer. For a specific trade, read how to get an electrical, building, plumbing or mechanic apprenticeship.
3. Study at a polytechnic or private training provider
Practical certificates and diplomas, often with work placements. Good if you want a qualification for a specific job, like early childhood education, IT support or engineering technician.
4. Go to university
Degrees take three years or more and suit people who want to go deep into a subject, or need a degree for their career (teaching, nursing, engineering, law). It's a big investment, so it's worth being fairly sure. Torn between a degree and a trade? Read is university worth it in NZ?
5. Take a gap year
Work, save, travel, volunteer or try a few things. The trick is to have a rough plan and a date to decide by.
6. Join the Defence Force or emergency services
Paid training, structure and lots of trade and technical roles. Entry requirements vary – check the recruiting sites.
7. Start something of your own
Reselling, lawn mowing, detailing cars, coaching kids, making content. Small side hustles teach you more about business than most courses – and they can grow.
How to decide in five steps
- List what you've already done – jobs, sport, looking after family, projects, things friends ask you for help with. That's your evidence.
- Work out what drives you – not just what you like, but why. The AI coach in the demo asks exactly that. The demo is for ages 16 and up.
- Write down your no-gos – sitting at a desk all day? Night shifts? Moving away? Knowing what you don't want narrows things fast.
- Pick two or three paths to test – talk to someone in each, look at real job ads near you, try a day of work experience. Still at school? Gateway and trades academies let you try a trade while you study for NCEA – ask your careers adviser (Tahatū).
- Choose one next step – not a whole life plan. Apply for one job, book one course info session, ask one person to mentor you.
That's the idea behind Week by Week: an AI coach that helps you turn what you've done into a few career paths and one small step a week – and checks in to keep you going. Want someone to talk it through with? See where to get free career advice in NZ.
Money: pay, fees and support
- Minimum wage: $23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026; the starting-out and training rate is $19.16 an hour (employment.govt.nz). How it works for apprentices: apprentice pay.
- Fees Free is ending: it covers the final year of study or final 2 years of work-based learning, only if you complete by 31 December 2026 (Inland Revenue).
- Student loans and allowances: see StudyLink.
- Earn while you learn: apprentices are employed and paid while they train.
Questions
Is it OK not to know what to do after high school?
Completely. Plenty of people change direction, at every age. You don't need a 10-year plan – you need a good next step and the freedom to adjust.
Is a gap year a bad idea?
Not if you use it. Working, saving, travelling or trying things out can give you a much clearer idea of what you want. A gap year spent drifting is harder to explain later.
What's the minimum wage in NZ for school leavers?
From 1 April 2026 the adult minimum wage is $23.95 an hour. The starting-out and training minimum wage is $19.16 an hour – it can apply to some 16–19 year olds, for example 16- and 17-year-olds in their first six months with an employer, and to apprentices in industry training. Check the details on employment.govt.nz.
Is Fees Free still available?
Fees Free is ending. It covers the final year of study or the final 2 years of work-based learning, but only if you complete your qualification or programme by 31 December 2026 (Inland Revenue). If you're starting study in 2027, plan for fees and look at StudyLink, scholarships and earn-while-you-learn options like apprenticeships.
Want a plan that's actually about you? Week by Week is an AI coach for NZ students: your wins turn into skills, you see career paths that fit and any current job ads near you, and you take one small step a week. It's free for students when their school uses it. No school code yet? Ask your school – it can try Week by Week free with 5 students for a month.
Sources
- Employment New Zealand, Minimum wage rates and types (checked 3 October 2026)
- Inland Revenue, Fees Free (checked 3 October 2026)
- Tahatū, About apprenticeships (checked 3 October 2026)
- Tahatū, Combine school with work or training (checked 3 October 2026)
- StudyLink, student loans and allowances