Indeed.

Point taken guys. Thanks for the observations. However I have my heart set on Melbourne and I can't do what I used to do in Queensland there (as everyone also says that industry is overpriced so the jobs are scarce). I'll do some vendor neutral certs and just see how it goes. Won't hurt to have them on my CV regardless of what I end up doing. If IT works out for me then great, if not I'll just see what I fall in to down in Victoria for a while! If nothing works out then at least I'll have better luck getting a job in gas in Qld from inside Australia as opposed to from over here. I can but try! Must be positive - I can't believe the Australian economy is in worse shape than the UK!

I don't think it is in worse shape really. Be positive.

Exactly! I have someone lined up already to share a relatively central apartment with. My living costs in Melbourne on the whole will be little different due to that than they would be back here in the UK renting a 2 bed house by myself in the south east (although I'm not looking forward to buying a car at 3 times the price of here). As for work, well, something will turn up. Positivity and Dan Murphy cleanskins will just have to see me through in the meantime!

Mining is all that makes the Aussie economy look in a respectable state. I don't know anybody in IT over the last 2-3 years in London that has lost their job but I know rather a lot in Australia. For example I've heard that ETrade will be offshoring most technical jobs by this time next year and they got rid of a load of people a couple of months ago. Macquarie are hacking away at their IT team I have friends hanging on for the payout. I'm glad I moved on when I did from the employment perspective. As far as certifications are concerned when I interview people I couldn't care less what certifications people have and I have never been asked for them. Project experience is king in my experience.

Yep, I realise the resources sector is what has made the Aussie economy look good compared to other developed countries since 07/08, but the local jobs market where I am can't be better than what I'm likely to find over there.

My resources work experience is of no use in the UK without offshore experience, which I don't have, and I'd hate to be stuck freezing my nuts off in the North Sea or Arctic Circle anyway doing shift work. The greenies have pretty much halted onshore gas exploration and development in the UK, for all intents and purposes. There's still a chance I'll get back into that line of work in Oz, although not based from Melbourne.

As for IT, I realise the certs mean little without experience, but I'm in a chicken and egg situation. Without one I'm unlikely to get a break to get the other. The non vendor certs are all regarding things that I'd like to know more about regardless of whether it leads to employment in IT. Vendor certs are probably out of my league (unless just crammed for which makes them arguably worthless) and a waste of time without the experience to back them up, but I may give one a crack out of interest and just for the exposure. I imagine I'd have little more luck in the UK with little relevant experience in IT either, so I'll just play the Aussie job market by ear.

I have nothing to lose. Maybe several grand on certificates and flights, but I reckon it's worth a punt. The UK just doesn't feel like a place that I want to stay in anymore (bar my love of London and the proximity to Europe for breaks), so I'll do whatever it takes, and in whatever field of employment, to give Australia more of a concerted effort this time around.

Worst case scenario...I ping pong again, slightly poorer and older!

I have shares in Dan Murphy! I should own the place by now.

Yeah, cars are pricey. But shop around. Motorbikes are not too bad if you don't need a car.

I did ITIL years ago.

It all seemed a bit mickeymouse, to be honest, and if anything just one way at looking at something that commonly comes up. And the people running it seemed convinced that their way was the only way, and it wasn't that hot, just OK.

Anyone with some experience in IT would easily grasp it - and wack it on the cv.

The share price will be heading up when I get back and start stocking up!

Remember the car prices all to well. My Alfa cost me $15K to get on the road over there. Could have bought the same car for under £3K back in the UK!

Hopefully I won't actually need a car if I'm fairly central. Would probably be cheaper just to rent one whenever I fancied a trip further afield. I've though about a bike, and that's another thing I've long wanted to get - my licence. Looking into it a little it seems like I'd be best doing my direct access course over here and then converting it in Oz, rather than taking my tests over there. That's another thing to add to the list before I jump back on the plane!

Its value may be questionable, and yes, it is just one way of looking at things. Not having had much exposure to it then I'm not well placed to fairly say. One thing I do know (and see) is that it's much favoured, or even a requirement, for many IT jobs these days though. I figure it should be not too difficult to attain a cert in ITIL at Foundation level, and every little helps for the CV! It's not an expensive cert to do either, regardless of which way I study for it.

Yeah, do direct access and then swap over here. That's the easiest. Great biking country out here and good weather for it too mostly.