Lois1

Could anyone help please, once you get the card how long is it valid for?

Just wondering whether its worth getting OH to do it when on our reccie? But if you need to renew it yearly then no point!

Thanks

steve_kelly_and_boys

hi

as far as i know i do not believe they run out

although like anything in life that can easily change

edmontron

It's very basic site awareness training and I wouldn't worry about it before you are here to work. If you seek employment, your emploer would no doubt pay for the training course. I think the card does expire after five years (not sure). (I've got one, a Blue Card), it doesn't say on the card. Typical Aussie bureaucracy.

cresta57

When we first arrived [2002] it was a white card. We stumped up the cash. did the course got the cards. Within months it changed to an all singing all dancing Blue Card, a card that wouldn't expire & would be sufficient to work on site in QLD forever. Now we have the all new, well not quite as we've been there before, White Card.
It's just a general health & safety course that allows you to work on-site. Each time they change it's for the last time, then when they need more victims to lash out cash to keep other people in work they redesign the cards. We all do the same course, part with our cash & the training agencies get rich from the proceeds of our hard earned cash.
As a tradie you have to get used to multitude of others leaching a living from you one way or another.

Australia_bound?

For some positions you won't be considered if you don't have a white card. Can get it done online for $50 so would say if anyone wanted one they should have one.
I've got one and don't need it for my current position, it's tax deductable so will end up costing me nothing & could come in handy when I move jobs next year

Vegemite Kids

They changed the rules in WA a couple of years ago. Now instead of being called the blue card its called the white card and it now has no expiry. Most of us oldies still call it the blue card out of habit cos if you were working on a construction type project in 2009 when the rules changed it automatically continued over and became a 'white' card. (Even though it was still blue LOL) Anyone who hadn't worked on a construction site between 2007 & 2009 had to retake the course to get the actual white card.

It costs $65 to do it in WA and can be done online.

The only benefit I can see for your hubby doing it while on a reccie is if he plans to apply for jobs whilst outwith Australia. (Then it may help, but thats a big may) Personally I wouldnt bother and would do as Ed says and leave it till you actually arrive here. Companies will automatically pay for him to do it. Also a lot of companies here in WA have customised the course so even if he has done the generic course he might still have to do a company specific version once he accepts a job.

snappy

Out of interest the reason why they altered it from being called a Blue card to a white card is due to the Blue card associated with the child related employment. The powers that be deemed it too confusing to have two cards with different meaning and that one needed to be altered so they altered the one that never expires instead of the one that has an expiry date on it whereby would have been easier to replace as a white card got to love the people that have a great idea lol

It is easy to apply for the card and takes about 2 hours online or a day in a college over here (guess which one is the better option ) I would apply for it when you come over here for good unless you intend to apply for jobs prior to your arrival in which case it always looks good to state you have a white card as this is a necessity to work on a construction site over here.

cresta57

Those self same powers that be were the ones that decided, in their infinite wisdom, to introduce the "New" Blue Card system when there already was an existing Blue Card [childrens].
On the rare occasion I've been asked on site for my Blue Card I've presented my "Working with children check" Blue Card first. Funnily enough the quips about it being a Queensland building site or asking for directions to the sand pit usually don't get a positive response, especially when it's the QBSA [who came up with the whole idea]

PaulandNic

Yeah cos me and Nic both have QLD Blue Cards. Hers entitles her to work with kids, mine to show I know that standing near the edge of a roof is unsafe!

Both 'Blue Cards' tho!