Notarising your past work experience
Apr 9th 2011, 9:41 am
#1
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Posts: 183
Notarising your past work experience
With reference to proving background work experience at firms that no longer exist. Do you simply write down the name of the firms that you have worked for, and the duties that you carried out?
I know that you have to prove 9000 hours experience to sit the IP Red Seal electrcians exam, which shouldn't be a problem as I have copies of accounts from 2003-2008. Plus a letter from another accountant stating that he looked after my accounts from 2000-2002.
Regarding other experience at companies that I worked for, I only have a letter from a company that took over a firm where I worked over 25 years ago. That states they have no personnel records that go back that far. All the other companies no longer exist or they say the same thing.
As I no longer work as an electrician, but as a service engineer working in laundry, catering and refrigeration. I know I will have to sit the respective electrical, gas, and refrigeration IP exams to gain licences to work in that field.
So what I'm asking is... do I simply self declare my experience at the relevent past companies, then simply have them notarised? Will this be accepted by the respective Cannadian authoroties who assess your suitabillity and experience to allow you to sit these exams?
Regards
Martyn
I know that you have to prove 9000 hours experience to sit the IP Red Seal electrcians exam, which shouldn't be a problem as I have copies of accounts from 2003-2008. Plus a letter from another accountant stating that he looked after my accounts from 2000-2002.
Regarding other experience at companies that I worked for, I only have a letter from a company that took over a firm where I worked over 25 years ago. That states they have no personnel records that go back that far. All the other companies no longer exist or they say the same thing.
As I no longer work as an electrician, but as a service engineer working in laundry, catering and refrigeration. I know I will have to sit the respective electrical, gas, and refrigeration IP exams to gain licences to work in that field.
So what I'm asking is... do I simply self declare my experience at the relevent past companies, then simply have them notarised? Will this be accepted by the respective Cannadian authoroties who assess your suitabillity and experience to allow you to sit these exams?
Regards
Martyn
Apr 9th 2011, 1:26 pm
#2
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Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 49
Re: Notarising your past work experience
Hi Martyn,
I am planning the same thing too. I think that is what you do if all other avenues are not available, or failing that, a combination of both.
Have you done any studying for the exam? I think it's quite hard!
I am considering enrolling on a course when I get to BC. Have you got your visa yet?
Would be interested to hear any snippets of info you have?
Cheers
Martin.
I am planning the same thing too. I think that is what you do if all other avenues are not available, or failing that, a combination of both.
Have you done any studying for the exam? I think it's quite hard!
I am considering enrolling on a course when I get to BC. Have you got your visa yet?
Would be interested to hear any snippets of info you have?
Cheers
Martin.
Apr 9th 2011, 2:25 pm
#3
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 183
Re: Notarising your past work experience
No I haven't got my visa yet, I am in the process of getting all my documents and everything notarised to send off to the CIC. I've been studying the CEC which I purchased and downloaded from the CSA (Canadian Standards Association), and also found a link from someone on this website for some sample questions.
Terminology is different in North America, I found that out whilst visiting some friends in Ohio some years ago. And the electrical distributuion system is different from the UK and the rest of Europe. The UKs distribution and wiring system tends to unique from the rest of the world. With the exception of some of the commonwealth countries, which are almost identicle.
But because Canada borders with the US, most of its systems, including the electrical system. They tend to harmonise with with each other, with the exception that UL, NEMA, and other testing labs associated with North America, are not recognised in Canada. They have to bear a CSA trade mark. This includes British and European standards, which is found on some products and equipment that are tri rated, which can include BS, EN, and UL, CUL NEMA.
I currently looking for information for the natural and lpg gas fitting IP exam, along with the refrigeration IP exam. As these are the ones that I will need to continue working as a service engineer, or major appliance repair technician as its called over there. But primarily I will have to work as an electrician for the first couple of years if I can pass the IP exam. Then hopefully the other two. And this is what I need to find out about notarising a self declaration of previous experience. As I have only worked at this job for about three and half years, and I got the job because of my previous elctromechanical experience.
Terminology is different in North America, I found that out whilst visiting some friends in Ohio some years ago. And the electrical distributuion system is different from the UK and the rest of Europe. The UKs distribution and wiring system tends to unique from the rest of the world. With the exception of some of the commonwealth countries, which are almost identicle.
But because Canada borders with the US, most of its systems, including the electrical system. They tend to harmonise with with each other, with the exception that UL, NEMA, and other testing labs associated with North America, are not recognised in Canada. They have to bear a CSA trade mark. This includes British and European standards, which is found on some products and equipment that are tri rated, which can include BS, EN, and UL, CUL NEMA.
I currently looking for information for the natural and lpg gas fitting IP exam, along with the refrigeration IP exam. As these are the ones that I will need to continue working as a service engineer, or major appliance repair technician as its called over there. But primarily I will have to work as an electrician for the first couple of years if I can pass the IP exam. Then hopefully the other two. And this is what I need to find out about notarising a self declaration of previous experience. As I have only worked at this job for about three and half years, and I got the job because of my previous elctromechanical experience.
Apr 9th 2011, 3:39 pm
#4
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Joined: Oct 2007
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Re: Notarising your past work experience
If you really cannot get a reference from somebody at the company (if you are not still in touch with them, can you not find them via Facebook or other means?) then you'll need as much proof as possible i.e. employment contract, pay slips etc. Also get the information on the company from Companies House website and print that off, to show when the company was dissolved etc.
Apr 9th 2011, 11:23 pm
#5
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Re: Notarising your past work experience
The companies are long gone over twenty years ago, the directors, partners, or proprietors are long retired, non corpus mentus, or dead. Some have been bought and sold several times over and have no personnel records that date back before their take over, or certainly more than twenty years ago. I have had a letter from a company that took over a very large firm where I worked twenty five years ago, stating this and they cannot verify whether or not I worked there due to having no personnel records.
Most companies tell me that they have to destroy their personnel records of people that have not worked there after six years by law. The inland revenue only have records that go back seven years the most. And have said they would not confirm to third parties who tax payers have or who are working for now, due to the official secrets act. Which in fact doesn't include Canada or any other old empire countries. Company house only keep their records for seven years aswell, and they only keep records for limited companies and not privately owned companies. As for facebook and the like, not everyone bothers with it, especially retired business folks.
The notarising lawyer has told me that notarising a self confirmed letter of work experience, is the same as an affidavit. I'm just curious about its validity in the eyes of the Red Seal admistrators, as I have never dealt with such documentation. As we all know in the UK you only have to be licenced in some trades and proffessions. In the work I do now, I need to have a gas and refigeration licence, but no electrical one as there's no requirement unless your doing domestic/residential work. The requirement for the gas is only 90 days experience at a (CORGI) Gas Safe registered company before your allowed to be assessed and sit the exam for the licence. This is backed up with a 90 days training portfolio.
I have many electrical qualifications, along with many years experience but no licience. I have many years experience with refrigeration and gas. But only in recent years have I gained a licence for them due to legislation, but no vocational qualification like I have with electrical work.
What I'm tryng to say is, if I was still in business for myself and somebody attended a job interview with me. And couldn't prove that they'd worked in the job as long as they said they did, and in turn they presented a notarised letter staing they had worked for firms that no onger exist. I would be suspicious of their claim. But on the other hand the chances are if we bounced off each other, I would probably consider them for the job from the rapport and the way they conducted themselves in the interview.
By the same token, I would expect an organisation that offers an examination system for trades and proffessions to challenge and pass to gain a licence. To be suspicious of any such claim to having enough hours experience, by simply presenting a letter of self declarance of any such experience. As they will only accept proof of experience as a condition of applying to challenge the exam, and do not recognise any qualifications that you have gained in your own Country, or even the Province you reside in.
So I guess I'll just have to put my trust and faith in a notarised document. Unless anyone has a different experience with proving their experience gaining a licence for trades and proffessions.
Regards
Martyn
Most companies tell me that they have to destroy their personnel records of people that have not worked there after six years by law. The inland revenue only have records that go back seven years the most. And have said they would not confirm to third parties who tax payers have or who are working for now, due to the official secrets act. Which in fact doesn't include Canada or any other old empire countries. Company house only keep their records for seven years aswell, and they only keep records for limited companies and not privately owned companies. As for facebook and the like, not everyone bothers with it, especially retired business folks.
The notarising lawyer has told me that notarising a self confirmed letter of work experience, is the same as an affidavit. I'm just curious about its validity in the eyes of the Red Seal admistrators, as I have never dealt with such documentation. As we all know in the UK you only have to be licenced in some trades and proffessions. In the work I do now, I need to have a gas and refigeration licence, but no electrical one as there's no requirement unless your doing domestic/residential work. The requirement for the gas is only 90 days experience at a (CORGI) Gas Safe registered company before your allowed to be assessed and sit the exam for the licence. This is backed up with a 90 days training portfolio.
I have many electrical qualifications, along with many years experience but no licience. I have many years experience with refrigeration and gas. But only in recent years have I gained a licence for them due to legislation, but no vocational qualification like I have with electrical work.
What I'm tryng to say is, if I was still in business for myself and somebody attended a job interview with me. And couldn't prove that they'd worked in the job as long as they said they did, and in turn they presented a notarised letter staing they had worked for firms that no onger exist. I would be suspicious of their claim. But on the other hand the chances are if we bounced off each other, I would probably consider them for the job from the rapport and the way they conducted themselves in the interview.
By the same token, I would expect an organisation that offers an examination system for trades and proffessions to challenge and pass to gain a licence. To be suspicious of any such claim to having enough hours experience, by simply presenting a letter of self declarance of any such experience. As they will only accept proof of experience as a condition of applying to challenge the exam, and do not recognise any qualifications that you have gained in your own Country, or even the Province you reside in.
So I guess I'll just have to put my trust and faith in a notarised document. Unless anyone has a different experience with proving their experience gaining a licence for trades and proffessions.
Regards
Martyn
