jjonboy

My missus struggled for nearly 18 months at first when we got out here..... She has a solid admin background/ quals etc.... Did a mix of dodgy jobs like the many described here and dodgy tempting work... Trouble was without "aussie experience" the only people that would look at her were smaller time business/ owner operator type of scenarios... She toughed it out for six or eight months with one mob which wasn't quite as bad as some and that was enough to get her into a larger national company where you do work your hours, get paid overtime, get valued, get bonuses/ looked after.... it just frequently doesn't come overnight.....

I'm a chartered building surveyor and started here 6 years ago on a third of the wage i'd left behind, took me 2.5 years to work my way back up.... now work for an employer of choice on money i couldn't dream of in the UK.

Gold coast is a crap place to look for admin work though.... i can't think of many major national/ international companies headquartered there.... There will be some good smaller companies, but bear in mind a lot of employers are feeling the pinch at the moment....

As for long hours... i work around 9.5 hours a day, my wife does about 7.5... there are those in the office who stay a lot longer but if you're efficient and show you can get you're share of the workload done then the hours are not that important....

Trades> it is a bit quieter than it has been. Building industry is usally dead in jan and at least half of feb... and yep expect to spend six to twelve months buying some experience... but pls look at this as part of a 3- 5 year plan not six months and then give up....

that's my seasoned view and i've seen many come and go... some come ,go and come back again...

I don't post much on here anymore just dropped in today, but happy to answer any questions i can...

all of the above is personal opinion of course and there will always be someone with an opposing view....

woody123

Hi Nicky,

I've just read your message and am now a bit more worried than i already was....
My OH is a bricklayer/builder, has been for 23 years, has all the qualifications and his own business here that has good reputation and always busy. We are planning to come over, have just started the visa process. OH has family in Gold Coast area so we are planning to go there first to see how it goes. We were over there a couple of years ago and there was work everywhere but am now hearing its slowing down. We really want to start a new life on Oz, we have a 9 month old boy and we now he will have such a healthy life there but am now so worried as work doesn't sound great. I've also been looking up what licence he will need and its all so confusing. We speak to family there but they have been there 20 years and have no reason to worry so they keep saying things are fine and OH will get work but I'm not so sure?? We were going to move over there a couple of years ago but we were just getting on with it here and then I fell pregnant so it was all put on hold. Now I'm feeling we may have missed the boat??? Where abouts do you live over there? If you could give us any info or advise, we would be so grateful. Sorry to blab on but I just don't know what to think anymore as its such a big risk and friends here keep saying we can always come home if it doesn't work out, but I wouldn't want to come home, I don't want us to fail over there.

Thanks so much

Jules

PS - I'm also in admin and one day would be going back to work in Oz and even that sounds a complete nightmare!

PaulandNic

Well it's 3 years on the 23rd of Feb ... but are giving the Gold Coast till end of this year and if still in the same boat, we're off!

Where I haven't a clue, and not back to blighty, but this bullshit wasn't in our plan.

The irony is we're currently watching the latest series of 'Wanted Down Under' and they're still spouting that ole line about Australia desperate for skilled people. Where are the jobs????? ...

rabsody

First time I came over to Aus, I lived on Gold Coast and ended up having to move to Brisbane for that exact same reason after months of trying. I registered with an agency in Brisbane and before I even walked out the door I had a temp job for three months. This was back in 94 so things obviously change but GC is notoriously bad in this regard.

Sorry to hear it's gone a bit pearshaped lovie. With the determination you guys have shown in the past I am sure you will not let it get the better of you!

PaulandNic

Well for us my school dictated that we start off here. Over time we've grown to love the place, but we DO need to have full time jobs, not asking much are we? ...

Nic threw the towel with the Goldie and admin work and ventured up your way to Brissie, even did the sometimes 90 min drive to the airport, but Bris is unfortunately offering about as much as the Goldie does now ...

moneypenny20

It's not really 3 years in the employment side of things though is it? The first two years were a completely different problem what with the hours available. Obviously you can't make your brain think it's only been 9 months or so because of the actual time you've been here and how tough you've had it, but going by other people's experiences 9 months or so is not a long time to find the right job - iyswim. It's just a flaming long time from the money and satisfaction pov.

Really hope she finds something good soon though. Send her my love.

PaulandNic

Well Nic was available for work in May of 2006. Ok, she had a 20 hour work restriction, but the facts are that she HAS been working / looking / dreaming / praying / etc for a the illusive 'right job' since then.

Clearly looking in all the wrong places tho! ...

She's got an interview next week for a job doing 4 days per week and working 5pm - 9pm doing call centre work, that's just south of Brissie, and the best offer so far!

PaulandNic

Just did, thanks Pen ...

Wendy

Something will turn up when she least expects it. It's sods law!

PaulandNic

Well she's not expecting a job now! ...

Wendy

Keep it that way!

nickywes

Hi Jules

We live near Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast and from what I can gather, it is quite slow for work around here. We are being told constantly that it will realistically take us about 18 months to 2 years to actually get the work we would like and could manage on.

My OH is exactly the same as yours, run his own Company virtually his whole working life and was well respected etc. The work he has taken on now is going back 20 years and appalling wages but we are quite prepared to work our way back up again.......although was not quite expecting for how little the money was going to be.

I have extensively looked into building licences and this is the website you need to go to

http://www.masterbuilders.asn.au/bui...TOKEN=85166717

We have just received all the documentation and have decided to skip through getting Contractors licence, then Supervisors licence, then Building licence and we will just apply straight away for the medium or open licence...probably medium as he doesn't want to build skyscrapers anyway!!! The cost of this is $4,800, which will assess his skills and then you have to apply for the licence which I believe is about $550 or thereabouts.

I have now been offered a job with The Flight Centre as a travel consultant (which I have the skills for) and am going to take it. However, the hours are 8.30-5.30 but you will need to start at 8 and finish at 6 Wages not great but the perks are and apparently they are a good company to work for. I wanted to work part time really but the work is not out there and I don't want to do a job I absolutely hate so will take this to gain the Aussie experience as the above poster said.

Everyone moans around here about the work situation but we are looking at it quite positively in that we will do whatever it takes now to get where we want in the long run. Also want to add that my OH loves the fact that he can do his days work and then drive home forgetting about anything else. No more pricing, organising, getting work, getting money in etc. etc.

Was going to pm this but thought it might help others.

Nicky xx

jjonboy

I think you will do well in Australia...

This is the approach we took.. Take what you can, get your experiecne and whatever licences you need.... Take whatever money is available whilst doing so and in time it will come good.... I agree 18 months or so is probably what it takes in a good market maybe 2 years at present.....

Cheetah7

I am not in QLD but would like to say that I find the work ethic in Perth pretty bad as well.

I am contracted for 37.5 hours a week, yet I am expected and have to work a minimum of 40 hours a week, coming in on a weekend if we have a contract (admittedly that isnt too often).

I will say that I do always get my time back in lieu.

Its swings and roundabouts, when we have quiet days I can go early, or have a laugh with colleagues.

As an administrator I do not feel valued by my boss - although my other colleagues do appreciate what I do and I work with some fantastic people who have become my friends.

I have been tempted to look for other work but am scared of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire and am questioning if there are any decent employers out there.

I cannot afford to take one dollar less in salary as my mortgage is based on what I earn now.

The thought of being unemployed terrifies me, we would lose the house -that is a given and not even for discussion.

However, on weighing it all up, I actually look forward to getting in to see my colleagues, the job is hard but varied and keeps me busy.

No matter how bad a day I have had, I think unemployment is worse so I just keep my head down, do my job and forget about it once I get home.

Thinking about it, I had equally shit days for less money in the UK - its just I feel more vulnerable here - the rules are different, the laws are different and you still have to take the rough with the smooth, it is not a bed of roses being in any job - wherever you live in the world.

My goodness sometimes I have wanted to leave, but for the moment I have a job that pays for my house, I have mates from that job and most of the time it is OK, when it isnt then I have to deal with those days.

I just count myself as lucky at the moment with this recession, that I am still there and by christ am I learning to bite my tongue and realise that just because people can be horrible to me, it doesnt make it my fault.

debsy

Have you tried any of the Uni's - I am always seeing ads for admin at Griffith.
Good luck.