About the Summer Student Programme
The Summer Student Programme is a great opportunity for enthusiastic and driven tertiary students and recent graduates to come do great things with us. Opportunities include the areas of environmental monitoring, catchment management, data management, economics and iwi relations, and outdoor operations.
Our summer student jobs kick off in November each year. We hire for a wide variety of full-time, fixed-term roles that pay between $25 and $28 per hour, depending on your year of study.
You’ll get paid to gain practical work experience, make valuable connections, and help make your Waikato even better.
Waikato Regional Council offers you a range of benefits and opportunities in a safe environment including
- stepping stones for career progression
- mentoring and traininghealth and wellbeing benefits
- great experiences and memories over the summer
- an optional social club to network and build connections
- unique opportunities to contribute to the health of our environment and communities.
What our students have said in the past
Brianna
Coastal Water Quality Student 24/25
"Spending my summer with the Waikato Regional Council was an incredible experience filled with learning, connection, and hands-on skill development.
I had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of fieldwork, from water quality sampling at stunning coastal and freshwater sites across the region, to supporting laboratory work, such as sorting samples for the Regional Estuary Monitoring Programme (REMP). I also had the opportunity to assist other teams when needed, gaining a broad understanding of the council's environmental work.
The support and encouragement I received from everyone I worked with made a real impact, and I built lasting relationships along the way. I felt valued as part of the team and was able to grow both professionally and personally. The variety of work I experienced has given me a strong foundation for a future career in ecology, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.
This summer studentship is an incredible opportunity for anyone looking to gain experience or build a career in this field. I can’t emphasise enough how fantastic the programme and the people are."