If you’re looking to break into civil construction, now’s a great time. There are roles available and the industry needs you – it’s just a case of finding a job that complements your existing skills, which is where recruitment agents and job boards can help.

According to the recruiters we contacted for this article, labourers, machine operators, traffic-management workers and Class 2-5 drivers are among the most sought-after roles right now. This is backed up by Trade Me data, which recorded a 15% increase in job listings in its ‘Construction & roading’ job category in the six-months to April 2026, compared to the same period the year before.

There’s been a recent increase in civil construction projects in the South Island – particularly Otago and Southland – and the appetite for workers across Auckland and Wellington remains steady.
Entry-level roles are available and accessible, with most requiring nothing more than a good attitude, reliability and a willingness to learn. If you have a driver licence it’s a valuable thing to mention on your CV.

People looking to make a lateral shift infrastructure from another industry can often find opportunities in project management, finance, logistics, environmental and other relevant support roles at a similar level to their current roles.

Here are just some of New Zealand’s top recruitment companies and job sites that could help you find your dream role in civil infrastructure.

Well-known recruiters and job boards for civil construction

AWF

With more than 37 years in recruitment and 20 branches stretching from Kaitaia to Invercargill, AWF has built its reputation matching the right people with the right jobs. As part of New Zealand’s largest recruitment group, Accordant, it has the national reach and local knowledge to connect jobseekers with opportunities wherever they are in the country.

AWF specialises in short-term, temporary and long-term hands-on roles, which makes it a natural fit for anyone considering a career in civil construction.

Whether you’re fresh out of school, returning to the workforce or making a career change, AWF is set up to help you hit the ground running. It prides itself on creating clear pathways for progression, supporting candidates to progress from temporary work to permanent work and entry level roles to skilled trades.

It aims to make entry into jobs as easy as possible, by providing full personal protective equipment (PPE), health and safety support, site inductions, digital onboarding and payroll, KiwiSaver and compliance management. Free traffic management training is also offered to the right candidates, providing a handy opportunity to pick up experience and a qualification employers value.

AWF is currently looking to recruit general labourers, traffic controllers, road workers, civil crew, heavy machine operators, class 2-5 drivers and skilled tradespeople like carpenters and landscapers.

Find your nearest branch on the AWF website or explore its job board to view the range of roles it’s currently recruiting for.

OneStaff

OneStaff prides itself on understanding that not everyone has years of experience or a perfectly polished CV. With 13 offices across New Zealand and civil construction consistently one of its busiest industries, this recruiter has built its approach around giving people a fair shot and then backing them once they’re on-site to help them succeed.

What makes OneStaff stand out is its focus on the long game. Its team works to help candidates build confidence, gain experience and progress into better opportunities over time. The results speak for themselves: over the past year, it has placed about 5,000 people into infrastructure-related roles for around 250 clients.

With contacts in major civil, roading and infrastructure projects nationwide, OneStaff has opportunities available to enter the infrastructure industry at different levels – from school leavers to more experienced people.

At the moment it is seeing strong demand for labourers, traffic controllers, machine operators, Class 2-5 drivers, and people with Wheels, Tracks and Rollers (WTR), Site Safe or ConstructSafe tickets.

OneStaff welcomes jobseekers at the start of their civil construction journey, even if they don’t have a lot of experience on their CVs, recognising that employers place more value on the ability to show up, work hard, and listen and learn.

Get in touch with OneStaff and browse its range of jobs via its website.

Remarkable People

Remarkable People combines a hands-on, relationship-driven approach with AI-enhanced systems and modern recruitment technology that support its team behind the scenes.
By investing in smarter processes and tools, its staff are free to focus on what matters most – building genuine relationships, understanding individual needs, and creating meaningful connections between candidates and employers.

This recruiter is experienced at connecting motivated candidates with employers keen to help young people get some solid work experience under their belts after leaving school.

Remarkable People has more than 200 people working in the civil infrastructure construction sector every week and is usually looking to recruit for 30 to 40 civil construction roles across New Zealand. It has eight branches spread across the country and welcomes walk-ins, making it easy for jobseekers who would rather have a face-to-face conversation than fill out a form online.

Email Remarkable People, give its team a call on 0800 438 522, or pop into a branch to have a chat to them about the exciting roles they are looking to fill.

RobLawMax

With nearly four decades in recruitment, RobLawMax knows its market inside out and has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities the civil construction industry faces and the skills required for every type of role within it.

This recruiter is known for carefully choosing the companies it partners with and investing in understanding their needs, projects, challenges and workplace culture so that it can provide people who are the best fit for both the role and business.

Right now, RobLawMax is seeing strong demand for experienced site leaders – supervisors, foremen and site engineers – reflecting a skill gap that has opened up across the industry in recent years.

It is also looking to recruit across roles ranging from project managers and estimators through to machine operators and drainlayers – and helps hundreds of people into new roles annually.

RobLawMax believes there’s never been a better time to get into the industry. With some of the best leaders starting at the bottom and working their way to the top, it’s always keen to support school leavers to kick off a career in civil infrastructure.

Search and apply for roles online or email your CV to the RobLawMax team.

Trade Me Jobs

Online jobs site Trade Me Jobs is New Zealand’s number one choice for hands-on work, with nearly 1,000 roles advertised in its popular ‘Construction & roading’ category right now.

According to Trade Me Jobs, civil construction is one of the most accessible industries to start in without any qualifications, and data from its 5 million job listing views per month shows that labourers, machine operators and supervisors are often searched by job seekers.

Search Trade Me Jobs under its ‘Construction & roading’, ‘Trades & services’, and ‘Engineering’ categories to discover roles in civil construction.

Whether you’re fresh out of school or looking for a rewarding change of career, the civil infrastructure industry has a place for you. The roles are there, the agencies are ready to help, and the industry is waiting. Over to you.

Ready to take the first step? Explore civil construction career pathways by taking a wander through our Careers Roadmap.