For Coasties who’d love to swap the office for the outdoors, a new Department of Conservation cadetship could be just the ticket.

The Te Pū Hono programme will train the next generation of rangers through hands-on work protecting New Zealand’s wild places from day one.

Applications open 20 October 2025 for the 30-month paid training course, with the first ten cadets starting in January 2026 at DOC’s Renwick Base in Marlborough.

Once established, ten new cadets will be recruited each year.

Cadets will learn everything from trapping and weed control to maintaining huts, tracks, and backcountry sites.

They’ll also take on specialist placements and rugged field trips across the motu that test endurance and teamwork.

DOC Monitoring and Insights Director Karl Beckert says the programme is about investing in the future of conservation.

“Our economic future is reliant on nature going strong. It’s vital we develop the next generation of conservation workers and set them up well for a long conservation career,” he says.

Beckert says cadets will play a key role in tackling issues like habitat loss, climate change, and invasive species.

For Coasties passionate about the outdoors, it’s a chance to turn that love for nature into a lifelong career.

Know something local worth sharing?

Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.