Hi Nic and
to the forum.
Do you know if Radio Operator is on the list of Long Term Skill Shortages (I'm not sure what appendix 11 refers to)? I know you can get points for having NZ work experience and, if your new found skills are wanted enough by NZ, they might look favourably upon you. Having said that, I think you'd need a bit more than 3 months' of NZ experience. INZ are usually sticklers for wanting to see work experience that's relevant to your quals, but occasionally you can get through on work experience alone. That may mean they're looking for several years under your belt, but it's worth a try to see if you can scrape in, especially as your job would be on-going.
Check out the
Points Indicator to see how you fair. You would need a minimum of 100 points to be able to apply for residency. Unfortunately having a job in Auckland would count against you points-wise as INZ is looking for those who can settle in other areas.