Alienfeet

So we're going to Brisbane in December (me, wife and two girls 3 & 5) and we're wondering if anyone else is going for the same reasons we are i.e. better future for our children.

We're coming from the UK and I have serious doubts about the opportunities available to our kids when they are in their teens, making important decisions about their futures.

What are peoples opinions about career/life opportunities in Australia available to our children?

OK, the UK isn't in it's best shape at the minute, economically, but geographically it's positioned well to experience all of what Europe offers and indeed the States is only a 5 hour flight away. Whereas the closest country to Australia is 10+ hours ways. And to be frank I'm not sure Asia will offer the best in life for my girls.

And what about career opportunities. currently in the UK I'm reading for every postgraduate job opportunity their are 250 students applying for it. I also read somewhere that a large engineering firm were offering 300 apprenticeship schemes and they had 10,000+ applications. Does Australia have a similar scenario?

Australia, is essentially an Island in the middle of nowhere, and a huge one at that. Are my girls going to experience different lifestyles, cultures, experiences living on one island? Has Australia any culture to offer at all to rival France, Italy, Holland, Germany, dare I say…UK?

Is the perceived Ozzy lifestyle (laid-back, sun, sea, outdoor living, wildlife etc. etc.) enough? Are we as parents making a choice for our children today that will not allow them to experience as much of life as possible?

Or am I thinking too much???

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

h2oskineil

Personally... we moved to Perth 6 years ago and haven't looked back.
You think Brisbane is isolated... you should try Perth!!

At their age, your kids they have a lifetime ahead of them. Come and experience a new lifestyle that Australia has to offer and enjoy the life changing experience, get your citizenship (what a gift to give your kids, dual nationality) and by then you'll know if it's good for the kids or move somewhere else, my guess is you wont want to go anywhere!

It's a hugely stressful time for you all and your right to ask questions to make sure you get it right.. good luck.

ozzieeagle

I was going to reply in a flippant manner with a phrase that will probably come to annoy the crap out of you, going by the tone of your post... not that there is anything wrong with your post mind you.

"She'll be right"

However I'm intrigued by one aspect of your post, which seeing as you are relatively new to these forums that I'd like some clarification on mostly for my benefit. Others could be interested as well.

Can you give me a brief explanation as to what part culture that you mention in your post plays in your everyday life and why it is so important to you. I see this aspect mentioned all the time... and I'm not exactly sure what relevance it has to everyday life in Australia and how Australia and most particularly Melbourne supposedly is lacking in ?

Other than that... My 3rd Oldest Daughter is on the cusp of joining the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra... going to major in Music and either her wish is Nuclear Physics or Electrical Engineering at Melbourne uni.... So my moving to Aus hasnt done her much harm She has worked out the Cambridge is the place to go if she really starts to achieve though.

bingobob777

You'll still need to work 5 days a week, so any lifestyle change is really only at the weekend.

Australia has shitloads of coal and gas, industries relying on it are booming, many others aren't. In some professions you can walk straight into a good job, but in others there is also a lack of work. Ask anyone involved in the house building industry.

There is no right answer I'm afraid, it's just a case of balancing what you want against what you think might happen.

The esteemed leaders of the EU seem to think creating another 2 trillion out of thin air is the answer to all their problems and it will be boom time again, many people think that it's just prolonging the agony and making the inevitable collapse even worse, whatever happens there could be the actual thing that decides if you made the right decision.

quoll

No difference. If you have kids who are immersed in history, culture, the arts etc then UK if they are into rugby and tennis then probably Australia.

Your kids will probably end up on the other side of the world from you in your old age anyway

Turban Explorer

Agree with Quoll. If your kids are into culture, history, intellectual pursuits then the UK wins. Outdoors interests; naturalist, sports etc then Australia is better. Economically Australia is better right now but in ten years time who knows which country will be the better option.

Amazulu

New Zealand is 3.5hrs
Singapore/Malaysia is 5hrs
Indonesia is 1.5hrs

8-10 hrs gets you to the middle east, Africa, Japan

saveme

That is a bit insulting to present-day OZ, Quoll. The days when Aussies had to go to Europe to find 'culture' - when the likes of Clive James and Germaine Greer left - are long gone surely?

How do you define 'culture', 'the arts', 'history' etc? 'Julius Caesar is on at the Opera House this month, Richard III at another theatre in Dec, As You Like it I think at Belvoir St. The Sydney Opera House - the very name makes you think that, being Australia, it is just a pub?

London apart, I defy you to name any British city that offers more in the way of 'arts' than Sydney or Melbourne.

All the major cities have their cultural festivals featuring Aussie and overseas performers.

To say that a country of over 22 million is only interested in sport (not that I would mind personally) is an insult.

And if Australia's (European) history is 'irrelevant' because it only starts in 1770 would mean that studying the period post 1770 in the UK would be pointless too - Dickens, Austen, Bronte, et al all useless and modern.

denzil73

Apart from Melbourne no other major Oz city, and hence definately not smaller ones, have a cultural feel about them or the ambience of of Paris, Rome or other European feel to them.

Travel is very expensive once you're here and even camping is vastly more expensive than 5yrs ago. European travel is retardly cheap compared to Qantas flights. The same distance flight will set you back 4-5 times more than Europe.

Qld has nothing but the beaches and BBQ to offer as it has no culture and the kids I know struggle for things to do as a teenager.

Job prospects are much better in Oz than the UK due to the strong economy but even then companies are being stingey and there's not quite so many jobs at present.

Groceries, electrical goods and cars are expensive here but you do have to weigh that as part of your COL from wages to outgoings in the UK to Oz.

The kids in Oz do have a more upbeat nature compared to the UK but they MUST cover up from the sun properly as even winter UV levels are extremely high and the younger you are the more chance of skin cancer in later years or even teenage years if unlucky or not covered up enough thro time.

quoll

Hmm, remind me again where I can see Roman ruins in Australia, they dont have to be Fishbourne beautiful, just any will do? Which great Tudor mansion is worth visiting in Sydney or Melbourne? And when was the last time we had a long season of Michael Sheen playing Hamlet or Judi Dench in a long run? (John Bell is good but very samey after 30 years) Ah yes, a few grinding stones and some fairy tales based loosely on natural phenomena are really going to satisfy the urges of a field walker (I think not!)

Cambridge - much smaller than Canberra - has a signficantly better cultural profile IMHO I am going to enjoy the Christmas Eve carol service in person this year! I am also going to join the Field Walkers as soon as I can get free of family responsibilities and know that I am not going to get eaten by mozzies or besieged by blowies in the process. Good stuff!

I notice you didnt pick up on the benefits of Aus for sporty kids - so, which country holds the Ashes at the moment? Who has the higher ranking tennis player (and, for all I know, golf player) etc. Whose soccer teams perform better at world level??? So, perhaps I knock the UK too much with respect to sporting prowess LOL.

JAMFC

Your children are only young, they will get a lot from the outdoor lifestyle - there's many events/festivals etc and a lot are free. There're many different backgrounds here so a lot of cultures in that respect but culture as in 'ancient ruins', no. The children can always go back to Europe when they're older if they want to experience a different type of culture.

Dreamy

Your children are 3 and 5?

Who knows what the world will be like in 13 years time?

Buzzy--Bee

Reading your post, I think Sydney or Melbourne would suit you better than Brisbane and would cater to more of your concerns, particularly the ones about jobs and career.

BB

IvanM

When your kids grow up the world will be very different.

Turban Explorer

Very true. To the point that Australia may have undergone the Renaissance!!