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Apiculture (beekeeping)
The New Zealand honey and beekeeping industry is quickly becoming a major contributor to our economy, with thousands of registered beekeepers all over the country. Honey is highly valued all over the world.
Job overview
With our programmes, you’ll learn how to spot hazards, identify diseases, and understand all the ins and outs of bees and their behaviour.
You can be involved in apiculture in many ways. Set up your own hives. Or work for small- or large-scale commercial operations as a junior beekeeper or team leader. If you enjoy working outdoors and have a passion for bees, you'll find a rewarding career in apiculture.
Skills and experience
- Physically fit – moving and harvesting hives requires heavy lifting
- Eager to learn and train while you work
- Comfortable around bees
- Able to work with others to achieve team goals
- Enjoy working outdoors
- Able to work independently or as part of a team
- Able and eligible to work in New Zealand and pass a drug test
Find the right programme for you
In this section
New to industry
- Amenity (parks and gardens)
- Apiculture (beekeeping)
- Arboriculture (trees)
- Dairy goats
- Dairy farming
- Dairy processing
- Energy and petrochemical operations
- Equine (horses)
- Fruit production
- Hydrology
- Indoor crop production
- Landscape construction
- Meat processing
- Nursery
- Pork
- Post harvest
- Poultry
- Rural Pest Operations
- Seafood
- Sheep, Beef and Deer
- Sports turf
- Outdoor Vegetable production
- Viticulture (wine growing)
- Wool harvesting
New Zealand Apprenticeship in Apiculture
Level 3 and Level 4
Level 3 and Level 4
20 months. Start anytime. 3-5 day block course each year.
New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture
Level 4
Level 4
10 months. Start anytime. Includes a five day block course.
New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture
Level 3
Level 3
11 months. Start anytime, optimal start time is Autumn.

Growing up in Bulgaria in a region where winemaking has been a way of life for hundreds of years introduced Marlborough winemaker Diana Katardzhieva to her lifelong career.
In this section
New to industry
- Amenity (parks and gardens)
- Apiculture (beekeeping)
- Arboriculture (trees)
- Dairy goats
- Dairy farming
- Dairy processing
- Energy and petrochemical operations
- Equine (horses)
- Fruit production
- Hydrology
- Indoor crop production
- Landscape construction
- Meat processing
- Nursery
- Pork
- Post harvest
- Poultry
- Rural Pest Operations
- Seafood
- Sheep, Beef and Deer
- Sports turf
- Outdoor Vegetable production
- Viticulture (wine growing)
- Wool harvesting