Film, broadcasting and publishing

How to become a lighting technician

Official title: Lighting technician

Also called: Light technician, Lighting designer, Lighting operator, Lighting assistant, Theatre lighting technician

Lighting technicians set up and control lights and related equipment used for television, film, photography and live productions and events.

Main tasks

Set up still or video cameras or related equipment
Attach equipment extensions or accessories
Calibrate equipment to specifications
Gather information about work conditions or locations
Select and set up lights and equipment
Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment
Load materials or equipment
Unload materials or equipment

How to become one

You usually need experience to become a lighting technician and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: experience in similar work; a relevant tertiary qualification in communication and media, performing arts or similar area; an Elevated Work Platform (EWP) licence; a driver licence.

See the full Tahatū profile

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Apprenticeship in other performing arts. TEC links this job to study in performing arts. New Zealand apprenticeship (NZQA level 4). Qualifications: NZ Cert in Entertainment and Event Technology. Usually 1 year.
Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in journalism, communication and media. TEC links this job to study in communication and media. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Journalism, NZ Dip in Screen Production. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $44,000 a year one year after study and $60,000 five years after; 44% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Advanced certificates and diplomas in māori performing arts ngā mahi a rēhia. TEC links this job to study in performing arts. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Ngā Toi (Whakairo/Ngā Mahi a te Whare Pora/Toi Ataata/Mau Rakau/Māori Performing Arts). Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $47,000 a year one year after study and $54,000 five years after; 50% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).

Pay · Past change

Most common pay: $56,000 to $99,000 a year (median $71,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
Upper: $132,000 a year
TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Steady (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
People employed in the group Performing Arts Technicians: 2,934 at the 2018 Census and 3,456 at the 2023 Census (+17.8%). Past change, not a forecast.

Who does this work

About 230 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
In the group Performing Arts Technicians, 31% of workers are female (sex at birth, 2023 Census).
Where people in the group Performing Arts Technicians work (2023 Census): Auckland 45.8%, Wellington 13.8%, and Canterbury 9.7%.

Questions people ask

How do I become a lighting technician?

How much does a lighting technician earn in New Zealand?

The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $71,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $56,000 to $99,000 a year.

Has the number of people working as a lighting technician grown in New Zealand?

It has held steady: TEC records the number of people doing this job as steady between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.

Sources

Stats NZ (via Figure.NZ): Census 2023: employed by regional council, occupation (ANZSCO V1.3 unit group) and sex at birth (2023 Census), CC BY 4.0 (Stats NZ), CC BY 3.0 NZ (Figure.NZ), retrieved 4 October 2026
Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Stats NZ (via Figure.NZ): Census totals by topic for individuals 2013, 2018, 2023 (CEN23_TBT_004): employed by occupation, ANZSCO V1.3, summed to unit group (2023 Census (CEN23_TBT_004)), CC BY 4.0 (Stats NZ), CC BY 3.0 NZ (Figure.NZ), retrieved 4 October 2026

This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.

Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.

This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.

These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.

Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.

Updated 4 October 2026