Rotorua has one of the most diverse economies in New Zealand
People in and around Rotorua are employed here by a wide range of businesses, from tourism and hospitality, forestry, wood processing, and agriculture, to emerging sectors such as light manufacturing, technology and design.
In addition to a range of large government employers, including Rotorua Lakes Council, Lakes District Health Board (hospitals and health centres), Rotorua District Court, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Forestry, and Māori Land Court, a selection of other key employers are based in Rotorua. These include Scion, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology/Te Pūkenga, the largest tertiary education provider in the country; Red Stag Timber Limited, New Zealand’s largest sawmill; and Timberlands Limited, a large forest management company. All these companies are Rotorua based and offer a variety of career opportunities.
Scion is a Crown research institute at the forefront of forestry research and development, from a world-first radiata pine genome draft to a new 3D printer filament that contains a Scion-made wood and bioplastic compound. This Rotorua-based organisation is leading New Zealand to a future of low emissions, biobased and biodiverse circular economy. Scion employs more than 300 people, attracting talent from around the world.
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology/Te Pūkenga is one of the largest vocational tertiary education providers in New Zealand with campuses in Rotorua, Taupō, Tauranga, Tokoroa and Whakatāne, plus more than 80 additional satellite teaching locations.
Red Stag Timber Limited owns and operates the Waipa Mill, based in Rotorua, which is the largest independent sawmill in New Zealand, producing more than 600,000 cubic metres of sawn timber per year and an annual turnover of over $200 million. Waipa employs more than 350 people to meet the various operational and business skill requirements, which contributes to the success of the company.
Timberlands Limited provides a full range of forest management services to the Kaingaroa Timberlands Partnership, a group of investors who own the world renowned 189,000-hectare Kaingaroa Forest Estate situated in the central North Island of New Zealand. Timberlands employs approximately 120 employees.