The engineers' professional body is calling for Government and industry support to expand a programme in schools to inspire children about becoming engineers, as a potential shortage looms.
Seven Sharp reported Engineering New Zealand has been in 22 schools, running the Wonder Project and helping solve a potential crisis.
"It's a serious problem. Without more engineers we are going to struggle to really fulfill our potential as a nation and to innovate and to keep up," Susan Freeman-Greene of Engineering New Zealand said.
In 2014 only five per cent of New Zealand graduates were engineers, and with the OECD average 12 per cent, this country has a seven per cent gap, she said.
There's also a shortage of female engineers, with only 14 per cent of Kiwi engineers currently women.
"I think there's a perception issue. I think engineering is still seen as a profession for very brainy boys," Ms Freeman-Greene said.
Engineering New Zealand hopes to expand the Wonder Project to 200 schools next year, with a focus on low decile schools, but wants help.
"Government support, industry support. We want support for the project," she said.
The project teams schools up with engineers from companies like Rocket Lab, for activities such launching small rockets and learning about Newton's laws of motion.
Isaac Grigor, a vehicle test engineer with Rocket Lab, has been helping coach kids though complicated courses, at Auckland's Point View School.
He said in recent years people have perceived careers in such fields as "boring, sitting at a desk".
"But really the Wonder Project's all about showing kids that science, technology engineering and maths is nothing like that at all," Mr Grigor said.
And at least some students have been inspired by taking part in the programme.
"I'm definitely hooked on the idea of an engineer," one boy said.
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