Imagine your tomorrow as an Apprentice at Te Mātāpuna Fonterra.
Learning, developing, growing and thriving while immersing yourself in a place with a proud history, and a truly exciting future. Work for, get paid by, and learn from, an employer who supports you through your apprenticeship.
As an apprentice you work for, get paid by, and learn from, an employer who supports you through your apprenticeship to gain a Level 4 New Zealand Certificate in your chosen apprenticeship area.
For more information on Apprenticeship Careers, download our handout in English here and in te reo Māori here.
Download our early careers pathway guide here.
For more information on Apprenticeship Careers, download our handout in English here and in te reo Māori here.
Download our early careers pathway guide here.
Early Career Stories
Meet the grads, interns, and apprentices finding their future flavour here at Te Mātāpuna Fonterra.
"It's just the culture you really want to come to work in."
Meet Murihiku
Dairy Apprentice
"Once you've finished your apprenticeship, you can pretty much do anything."
Meet Zoe
Mechanical Engineering Apprentice
"It just makes me so happy that I work for a company that's so about their people."
Meet Scarlett
Heavy Automotive Apprentice
"Everyone wants to see you do well, they want to see you go out and smash it."
Meet Michael
Electrical Apprentice
"Most people will stay on for 10+ years. I think that speaks to how good the opportunity is."
Meet Preston
Electrical Apprentice
“One of my favourite things is the team environment, I feel really supported.”
Meet Georgia
Heavy Automotive Apprentice
“Give it a go, especially if you're someone who loves problem solving & getting your hands dirty."
Meet Katharine
Energy Centre Trainee
“I really enjoy my job. I love the mechanical side, I love getting my hands dirty.”
Meet Maz
Energy Centre Trainee
"I work with a lot of data, working with bio informatics, computational biology, statistics and generative AI."
Meet Wiremu
Summer Intern
"I get to apply the knowledge I learned in class to solve real world problems."
Meet Sunny
Summer Intern
"You come here and you gain skills other than just your practicum experience. It's a great programme."
Meet Hunter
Summer Intern
"Trying to apply my engineering expertise to food and general business was a great opportunity."
Meet Stella
Summer Intern
"I applied through Tupa Toa and Fonterra was one of the first partners I put my name forward for."
Meet Tau
Summer Intern
"Working at Fonterra does present really good career progression and opportunities."
Meet Theo
Fonterra Future Leaders Programme Graduate
"The culture here at Fonterra is awesome because everyone is keen to help each other."
Meet Elizabeth
Fonterra Future Leaders Programme Graduate
"Fonterra has so many great people like very experienced engineers to learn from."
Meet Sithum
Fonterra Future Leaders Programme Graduate
"It's a great opportunity to realise your potential to level up new skills and meet lots of new people."
Meet Christina
Fonterra Future Leaders Programme Graduate
"My biggest highlight has been the people and other graduates I'm with. It's been a good bonding experience."
Meet Connor
Fonterra Future Leaders Programme Graduate
"I found the programme really great; I've had the ability to travel all over NZ and meet people from a wide range of aspects in the business."
Meet Campbell
Fonterra Future Leaders Programme Graduate
“We’re getting hands on, practical experience, straight out of the gate."
Meet Michael
Fonterra Future Leaders Programme Graduate
Mechanical
Gain a NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Maintenance focus).
Work in a varied role across multiple aspects of maintenance engineering while qualifying and building towards a role as a Fitter or Maintenance Technician.
Applications for 2026 are closed, please register your interest for 2027.
Heavy Automotive
Gain a NZ Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering (Diesel/Auto Electrical focus) and your Class 5 License.
Form part of the Fleet Services Workshop where we maintain and service dairy milk tankers across the season.
Applications for 2026 are closed, please register your interest for 2027.
Electrical
Gain a NZ Certificate in Electrical Engineering (Industrial focus) and a full practicing license
Work closely with our qualified Electricians taking an Industrial focus to build your electrical engineering capability to becoming a licensed NZ electrician.
Applications for 2026 are closed, please register your interest for 2027.
Values Quiz
Take our interactive quiz to discover how your personal values align with ours. It only takes 5 minutes and offers insights into what matters most to us—and to you.
Ready to Land Your First Job
Āta Whakaarohia tō Āpōpō—Tīmata i tēnei rā.
Whether you're finishing school or university, we’re here to help you get work-ready and take your first step.
Whether you're finishing school or university, we’re here to help you get work-ready and take your first step.
At Te Mātāpuna Fonterra we seek to "Imagine Tomorrow," which reflects our commitment to empowering you to create goodness for generations.
Here are some tips to help you get started.
Together, we’re shaping a future of inclusion
He Wāhi mō te Katoa. We believe everyone should feel welcome here. Inclusion is part of who we are.
We’re building a team that reflects the world around us—because different backgrounds and ideas help us do better and think bigger. We welcome people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, neurotypes, cultures, and beliefs.
If you’re interested in a role but don’t meet every requirement, please apply anyway. We care about your potential and your willingness to grow.
If you need any support or changes during the recruitment process, just let your recruiter know or learn more about the reasonable adjustments we offer. We want to make sure you have a fair chance to show your best. Tātou, tātou.
If you need any support or changes during the recruitment process, just let your recruiter know or learn more about the reasonable adjustments we offer. We want to make sure you have a fair chance to show your best. Tātou, tātou.