Field Engineer

As a Field Engineer, you will provide the New Zealand Army with combat engineering support which means that you maintain the Army's ability to move and manoeuvre on the battlefield without interference from hostile forces. You will be trained in the use of explosives, bridge construction and demolition, field surveying, mine clearance, booby traps, explosives search, boating, water supply, tree felling and sawmill operation, minor construction, rigging and small engines.

The Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers

Post Initial Training

For Army Reserve Combat Engineers (Sappers) the first course you will do is the Basic Combat Engineers Course (BCE). This is a two-week course held at the School of Military Engineering, Linton Military Camp.It introduces soldiers to the combat side of being an engineer. The course covers the basics of field engineering including bridging, explosives, field defences, obstacles and the use of Engineering Tools. Upon completion of this course you will return to your unit and receive further training during regular weekend training activities in small boat handling, field defences, breeching and other key Combat Engineering skills.

Promotion

Once you have gained a suitable level of experience and demonstrated leadership potential, you will have the opportunity to progress through the Non Commissioned Officer Ranks. The first course you will do is a Junior Non Commissioned Officers course (JNCOs) which will foster and develop your leadership and instructional abilities in order to give you the skills to lead and train a small team of soldiers.

Intermediate Combat Engineers Course

This course is designed to allow JNCOs in the Combat Engineer Trade to progress to the rank of Corporal and assume the command of an Engineer Section. The course teaches vital command and management skills and further develops the leadership potential of RNZE JNCOs.

Further Promotion

Promotion beyond Corporal in the Royal New Zealand Engineers is dependent upon the attendance of further Trade and Promotion Courses. These include the Senior Non Commissioned Officers Course, and RNZE Troop Sergeants Course.

Overseas

Engineers are employed on a variety of overseas deployments. Engineers usually deploy in small groups to achieve key tasks alongside deployments of other, larger units. Opportunities also exist for smaller non-operational deployments to various Pacific Islands to carry out construction and development projects or to repair Cyclone damage.