After two years of collaboration between industry leaders, training providers, and regulatory bodies, the New Zealand Certificate in Passenger Ropeways Maintenance Engineering (Level 4) with optional strand in Conveyor Systems has been officially developed, marking a milestone in safety, skills, and workforce development for one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most specialised and high-risk industries.

The new qualification is the first of its kind in New Zealand, responding to a long-recognised gap in formalised training for passenger ropeway maintenance engineers. With the ski and ropeway sector attracting over 1.7 million visitors each year and contributing approximately $660 million of direct spending to NZ’s tourism economy annually, safety and reliability have never been more critical.

Stuart Murray, Qualification Developer for the project, says that being part of this development has been a real privilege. “This has been a great example of industry, the training provider, and Hanga-Aro-Rau working side by side the whole way through, in a genuine partnership. We made sure the qualification truly reflects the sector’s needs and that the provider feels confident delivering it alongside employers, so learners get exactly the training they need in the real world.”

An Industry-Led Collaboration
The qualification was developed through extensive consultation with members of the Ski Areas Association of New Zealand, with critical input from ski field operators, gondola companies, ropeway manufacturers such as Doppelmayr New Zealand, and Apprentice Training New Zealand (ATNZ).

Alpine resorts, including Mt Hutt, Cardrona, Coronet Peak, Porters, and Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, along with gondola operators in Rotorua, Queenstown, and Christchurch, were closely involved in ensuring the qualification met the sector’s unique needs.

“This qualification sets a new benchmark for safety and technical capability in the passenger ropeway industry. It’s the result of two years of genuine collaboration,” Mark Sommerville, Assistant Ski Area Manager at NZSki says. “I want to sincerely thank everyone who contributed their expertise and time. Your commitment has helped create a qualification that will make a real difference to our workforce, our communities, and the safety of our guests. A special thank you to Stuart Murray from Hanga-Aro-Rau for his leadership and dedication throughout the qualification development, and to Tim Wilson from ATNZ for ensuring the training delivery is grounded in the realities of our industry.”

ATNZ provided input to help ensure that the qualification’s structure, learning outcomes, and assessment methods were aligned with real-world environments, which are often remote and highly specialised. During development, ATNZ started to develop curriculum and assessment materials which would enable learners to demonstrate their skills directly in the field, ensuring competency is measured against actual workplace performance.

Garreth Hayman, CEO at Doppelmayr New Zealand, also spoke out on how this was a true team effort between the operators, manufacturers, training providers, and industry bodies: “Ropeways demand diverse technical expertise, and it was essential the qualification reflected that. We’ve built something that supports both safety and long-term capability in the industry. Thank you again to the Hanga-Aro-Rau team for making this happen.” 

Specialised Skills for a Specialist Role
The qualification is built around a suite of nine newly developed, highly specialised skill standards covering the operation, inspection, maintenance, and repair of all key passenger ropeway components, including fixed and detachable grip systems, wire ropes, stations and towers, and conveyor lifts alongside rigorous health and safety, compliance, and non-destructive testing requirements. It also includes advanced rigging and lifting competencies tailored to ropeway environments. This all ensures graduates have both the technical expertise and procedural knowledge needed to maintain passenger ropeways to the highest standards of safety and reliability.

The qualification is expected to boost workforce capability, improve staff retention, and provide career pathways that strengthen regional economies, as well as create opportunities for learners to gain specialist skills without leaving their communities.

View the qualification here.