Boatyard Foreman Adviser Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) location Auckland.

Connecting People – Transforming Lives. Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.

About the role this is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer and share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and capacity build in Fiji. Work alongside our local partner organisation to create a fair future for all. VSA will support you by funding and organising your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.

If you’re an experienced boat builder or have the right level of transferrable skills; and you’re looking for an opportunity to build capability in the Pacific (while enjoying an extraordinary cultural experience), then please read on to find out more.

This assignment is a partnership assignment between VSA, and the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development. Join this transformative initiative and volunteer alongside the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development (CATD), operating under the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Heritage and Culture in Fiji.

CATD focuses on improving rural living standards through technical skill development, leadership, and cultural preservation for disengaged youth. You’ll play a pivotal role in overseeing the construction of sustainable village boats and a world-class C50 cruiser as part of the Nadave New Dawn Cooperative (NNDC) – the business arm run by CATD graduates.

In this role, you’ll mentor trainers and students in high-tech boat building methods, including vacuum infusion of composites, quality finishing, and efficient workshop practices. You’ll also identify and train a foreman to lead future projects. Your expertise will help establish a thriving, sustainable boat-building enterprise that supports local livelihoods and export potential. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to skills exchange, community development, and the growth of Fiji’s green and blue economies.

Our Partner Organisation - The Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development (CATD) operates under the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Heritage and Culture in Fiji. Its mission is to enhance the standard of living in rural communities by developing technical skills, leadership qualities, and promoting cultural preservation.

CATD provides competency-based vocational training for rural youths, focusing on courses such as carpentry, automotive, welding, plumbing, and sustainable boat building. Through its business arm, the Nadave New Dawn Cooperative (NNDC), CATD supports graduates in applying their skills while earning an income and gaining financial literacy. This holistic approach empowers youth, fosters self-sufficiency, and contributes to the development of Fiji’s rural economy.

Essential skills/experiences for the role VSA Volunteers are technical experts who impart their skills and knowledge to the local community. You will need to be flexible, adaptable, resourceful, resilient with a passion for Aotearoa and the wider Pacific community.

We're looking for a volunteer with the following knowledge of and a minimum 12-months experience in boat building in composites. Knowledge and experience of vacuum infusion and quality boat fit-out and finish.

Ability to teach, mentor and encourage youths from rural backgrounds. Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.

The country fiji includes the other 3 cultural groups called Fijians -Rotuma, Rabi, and Kioa (Rabian and Kioans) were resettled in Fiji after being evacuated from Ocean islands, Tuvalu and Kiribati).

It is a destination attraction for its coral reefs, clear lagoons, and tropical landscapes. Fijian indigenous society is very communal, with great importance attached to the family unit, the village, and the vanua (land). With the introduction of traditions such as Indian and Chinese and significant influences from Europe and Fiji's Pacific neighbours, particularly Tonga and Samoa, these various cultures have come together to create a multicultural national identity for Fiji.

Fiji has several development goals they are focusing on as a country such as lowering youth unemployment rates, reducing poverty, reducing child mortality and gender inequality, increasing environmental sustainability, and improving the health and education status of its citizens.