cool_archie

Hello Everybody,

What about IT jobs in Darwin?
If someone got an offer to work for an IT Servces Co. in Darwin should it be considered?
Also what sort of salary should a Systems Engineer expect in Darwin.

Please reply.

Regards,

chaval

Mmmm..Darwin...Ive just relocated back to Brisbane from Darwin having been up there for a year. I should really write a lengthy overview on the place as you need to go there with your eyes open as it is whilst the weather is warm...the sun dont pay the extra living costs..unless you live in the long grass...anyway on the IT front...

There are 3 players in Darwin...and all of them pretty much concentrate on delivery of services to the NT Gov....theres a firm called TTS...mainly do hardware upgrades and stuff....CSG..(not CSC)..who offer the support services side of things....and then the primary/main outsourcer...who at the moment is Fujitsu...I say a the moment...as the NT Gov have issued the tender for the new support contract and so someone else might come in next year.

Also you might have a couple of boutique web houses up there as well...but nothing spectacular....as the net and darwin are still in the embryonic stage.

I guess your line is servers? networks ? WSUS stuff ? Automatic App deployments? AD/GP's Security and the like...there is a need for quality staff up there but my recommendation is to cold call before you head up there....as all the contracts are up in the air at the mo...they might have freeze on head count...and if you get a contract...make sure its not a 7 day notice one.

Rentals are not cheap...you wont get anything that is half decent for less than 550pw...(the reality is that you will have to up it to 650pw otherwise you might find people in yer back yard)

Also...in 4 weeks its the start of the build up...when the humidity starts before the wet season...and it is.....an experience...i would say its more humid(therefore feels hotter) than singapore....and thats 24/7 u walk out the house...and by the time you get to the car...ur shirt is soaked...

anyway...wages...surprisingly....in view of the fact everything is more expensive they do not pay more money...your 80k job in Vic is your 80k in the NT...contracting rates are pretty much the same as well....

All up...if you get a job...give it a go...book well in advance for your intial digs...otherwise you might find all the hotels booked.

Anyway...if you need more info let me know...

Cheers

cool_archie

hello chaval,

thanks for the info, could you please explain in detail what do you mean by "if you get a contract...make sure its not a 7 day notice one". Also what is the Average Pay Scale for IT Systems Engineer (with more than 10yrs of exp.)
Also what will be approx. monthly expenses for a Family with 1 Child in Darwin.

Please reply.

Regards,

chaval

By the 7 notice thing is mean...your contract might say it can be terminated by either party on 7 days / 14 days / whatever notice...now if you rock up there and get terminated say because suddenly theres a sea change towards contractors...u be atad annoyed...i guess i just meant try and get some sort of security of a minimum term....thats all.

BTW just been on the fone to someone up there and we were laughing cos they went to view an apt...and there was a bout 30 people looking at a Sh*t hole appartment at 500pw...all fillling out app forms...had over a barrel by estate agents

I cant really give you a steer on the wages...all i know is that they pay same or less...than anywere else...(maybe look at a job search engine and see what they pay in melbourne)..and most people i knew made it up on the overtime.

As for living expenses...i reckon..you got at least 2k per month on rent...probably more....then whatever you spend now...add 20-25% across the board....plus ur gonna have the air con...all night lol...i go on the brocoli indicator...darwin 6-7 bucks a kilo...brisbane (ok its on special)..2 bucks a kilo...or strawbs...5 dollar a punnet..brissy 4 or less...scooner...about 4.50$....long black 4.5$...chooks from coles 11-12$ for the large family one....mushrooms 10$ per kilo...i think remember seeing iceburg lettece for 4$ once...I do remember shaking my head on more than one occasion....

real bonus is the downtown parking....i think its 3.5$ per day and parking tickets are 10$ if you get a infringement ticket...

i think clothes might be cheaper...but I think thats only cos they send all the old stock from around oz there..although i did find it funny to see scarfs and knitwear in the shops when its 33 degs...

nearly forgot...u can put in a claim in your tax form for about 340 dollars for living there ..lol

if you tell what your top 10 monthly purchases are...i'll see if i can find out so you can compare..but i dont think you will get much change from 4500bucks a month...

cheers -hope that helps


just thought...then you got your relocation costs....in and out(if you dont stay)

Discovery

The cost of living is definately higher in Darwin. I am not sure about the $650 tag for a decent rental as you can still get good rental properties for about $450.

We have a joint income of just over $160,000 which is less that we earned in the UK but we are able to save a lot more living here in Darwin despite the high cost of living.

chaval

I agree....we saved more as well....probably cos theres nothing to do..you find yourself going round casurina shopping centre just to break up the sat/sun....and your probably right re-the 450..they are around ..just abit scare...and my costing was based on furnished...but as ever ...depends where u wanna live. We were at one point gonna move to fanny bay..looks great...then next day in the paper some resident found people pee-ing in his back garden...

i think darwin is funny place as any zone...u take a turn and suddenly ur in another world...(parap for example with the sunday morning queue waiting for the bottle o to open)

dont get me wrong...i enjoyed the place and finding it surprisingly hard to come back in such a populas place as brissy where instead of 5 people waiting to cross the road in the CBD...there's 200...

...and i appoligise to the OP cos ive sort of took this off topic...back to the question....the IT market is limited...but if you get an offer...consider it...if you break even put it down to a lifetime experience....

u only live once and you just gotta sit at the trailer boat club at 6.30pm- cold beer and watch the most amazing sunsets ever...pinch yerself...cos yer living the dream..

ps...i even got wogan to mention the boat club lol...