First things first - you will never see a music industry job advertised. If you really want to work in the music biz, you have to become very good at marketing yourself to people who are in the industry already, because you're going to have to convince them that they should employ you/allow you to volunteer. Studio jobs are so hard to come by that usually, an engineer who has already got a little experience recording bands at tech/friends bands on his/her laptop or whatever will still work for free for a few months, to learn the ropes and stuff. In this initial time, you may not get to do much actual audio work, more likely you'll be going to buy sandwiches and make coffees etc.
Having spent the last four years in teritary training for music industry stuff (Diploma in Audio Engineering at MAINZ, now just about to do my third year at Otago university) the thing that is crystal clear to me now is the best way to get these skills is to go and do it for real, don't waste your money learning it in a classroom, paying many thousands of dollars for the privilege. The Concord Dawn boys dropped out of MAINZ so they would have more money to buy gear - I don't think they'll be wishing they had stayed in school, somehow.

University has definitely improved my music (especially in the theory department) although some of the musicians that graduate with degrees have not, in my opinion, got the skills a top-level musician needs - as is so often the case, you get out what you put in. Tech courses aren't as good as going to a studio/live sound company/record label/music magazine/radio station etc and doing whatever it takes to work for free (or very little) for a few months/a year/whatever. You'll get a much wider network of industry connections this way, and you'll find work easier than a graduate with no "real world" experience, especially if the company you work for free in gives you a reference. If you're good, THEY might even employ you. Obviously, it's going to be different from job to job just exactly what you need to do, but you'd be surprised how many companies (particularly smaller ones) will let you come and help out. This sort of learning is better, using up-to-the-minute technology, more fun and more practical than what a polytech will teach you. It's a scarier option to not have a piece of paper to wave around, but believe me, my studio work is judged solely on the quality of the sounds I get, not where I learnt my craft.

I'm not too sure about the diploma year - in my diploma year of audio eng, I had to record a fucking appallingly bad diploma band, but then some of them were really good. You're always going to get people who put in the practice and get good results, and then others who do these courses because they don't know what else to do, and they fucking suck. They might still have the answers for the tests and be able to get the diplomas or whatever, but in the cold light of day, they are still crap at their instrument.

The latest excellent NZ musician mag (with Goodshirt on the front) has a comprehensive list of studios and record labels contact details - that should help you get started with places to volunteer at. Also check links on this site and bands.co.nz, even email bands if you just want to roadie (most bands would LOVE someone to help them move their gear around for them).

Man, that's a lot of writing. I think I should have a lie down and a milo.

my my you deserve more than a milo for that piece of work!! thanks heaps.

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job wise - i agree with all of what the deputy has said .. but would like to add one very important point.. its all about attitude. . . and i could never stress that enough.. actually in reality it probably like 60% attitude - 40% skill ... so go hard, grab the sucker by the horns and don't let go .. but be cool too..

that is, for nayone or anyone.

Damn. I wish i knew about the scholarship sooner :(

Dry those tears. Schloarships are for pussies. Hard cunts get student loans.