Stoke30

Are they really that hard to come by across the board from tradies to office staff ,we have booked 1 way tickets for july to brisbane but now we are having 2nd thoughts we are both in well paid jobs now in the uk and dont wanna be unemployed for a long length of time , we have savings to live a little unemployed but we dont want blow the lot, i am a electrician on a 175 visa & oh is a office manager
WE ARE REALLY CONFUSED WHAT TO DO" HELP US"

GillyG

Ditto...know how you feel! We're in the same predicament!

viviennef

The problem you are going to face regardless of the job situation is that when you arrive you will not be able to work as an electrician unless you work for a company that is "training" you. first thing I would do is look into how you get your license and see is there anything you can do from the UK. Message Steve O on here - he will know. I believe it takes anything from 4M to 2yrs to get a license. My friend is doing it and its taking him over a year but he hasnt been studying or getting it sorted out flat out, just plodding along. I dont know enough about the process but I believe you need to get a training permit, work for an electrician, get your trade assessed against Cert 3 by recognition of prior learning then you do any missing components/exam.

If you are working unlicensed whilst training the pay is much lower - my friend gets paid $25 an hour and another S African I know did similarly. Plus you need to find a firm, you will find one I think but its just how long it takes.

As an office manager, again there are jobs but like anywhere you have to apply. When you first come I wouldnt be walking into an interview talking about that I had just arrived as it gives a feeling of unsurety. I would just be talking "oh yes I live in SUBURB"

So the upshot of that is - find out what you need to do to become a licensed electrician.

Vivienne

Stoke30

cheers vivie for the reply but that was not my question i know all about the licence etc and i do know the building trade is bad at the minute ,its just how hard is it to find a job in general ie office staff ,labours,warehouse staff etc

viviennef

Sorry

My niece recently had a contract end in government, she is admin level and applied for 4 and got 2 of them. She didn't have any time off. I think the wages were a little down on what she had previously.

Where I live on the Sunshine Coast, competition is always pretty severe.

Building trade jobs are harder to get. If you are willing to do anything I know one guy on here got a courier job. I think like anywhere if you search enough something will come up. I suppose the question is whether to leave well paid jobs on a maybe - talk to SteveO - he will probably be on tomorrow and is better placed to help you. Also I have a friend who is a sparky, he was sponsored from the UK so I will ask him tomorrow if there are any vacancies with him. In signage, there were plenty of jobs however a big company just went through and so all of their staff are now looking for work. Its tightened up our industry.

Keep an eye on the job sites seek, my career, careerone - the number of jobs posted will also give you an idea.

Vivienne

jayne3411

i think the plus side for you is that you don't have kids to take? We have our visas but not willing to make the leap yet, I think everyone is in for a tough time no matter where you live, if you search through you will see alot of very concerned people who have a trade but no job. Difficult one, yes you only live once but unfortunately you need money to do it, maybe a month's "holiday" and do some massive job hunting leaving your uk jobs open, . We have kids so def can't make that leap yet just too much uncertainty, but good luck whatever you decide

janex

Stoke30

cheers jayne for the advice but even without kids rental is still a problem at $400 a week for furnished lets how long can anybody sustain this! without workwe need at leat one of us in a job

quoll

Unfortunately this is one of those "how long is a piece of string" type questions but bear in mind that unemployment has just leaped significantly (still not as high as UK of course), some of the big companies are cutting back and government is cutting back so there is plenty of scope for employers to pick and choose at the moment and chances are they are going to go for people with local experience over someone who does not.

We recently advertised a very menial low paid receptionist type job which was previously advertised about 2 years ago. 2 years ago we were lucky and had 2 applicants, this time we had about 35 enquiries leading to 18 reasonable applications within 2 days. Other agencies like ours (charity sector) are also amazed at the interest in their jobs which previously wouldnt have got a nibble.

If you can postpone then I would give that serious consideration, this is not the time to be giving up well paid secure jobs IMHO

jad n rich

What is so fantastic about Australia that you would give up 2 secure jobs in this economic climate to live there? Only you can answer that based on your circumstances.

What is your level of risk? there are quite possibly some people who are happy to live on beans on toast, watching every cent, and in a cheap dump accomodation as they have no income. Are you one of them? For many people income security is very important.

My suggestion at the moment for anyone in this situation is to come over for a months holiday, spend every second looking for work. It will give you a very realisitc picture of the situation here at the moment. Then decide.

bcworld

There really isn't a massive difference between the unemployment rates:

Aus - 5.2%
UK - 6.5%

I checked out how many jobs were listed on Jobserve for a particular IT skill in which I'm currently looking for a position:

Melbourne - 3
London - 136

...I think I'd be better off in the UK right now!

louH

[QUOTE=bcworld;7407943]There really isn't a massive difference between the unemployment rates:

Aus - 5.2%
UK - 6.5%

I'm no great expert but I thought it was easier to be registered as unemployed in the UK than in Oz? Sometimes I wonder if the unemployment rates are actually comparable as the measure of unemployment is so different.

amorris2

Hi, my wife worked for BT in the UK on very good salary, in an office based job at quite a high grade within BT.
She has tried for office based jobs here, but didn't even get an interview. Not even for receptionist at the company I work for.
They seem to employ someone they know, or a friend of a friend.

We have been in Australia 5 years and she has only been able to get casual work in warehouse/packing environments. She is on half the salary she got in the UK.

My advice. Stay where you are!!!!

paulry

But it can swing the other way too. One of my skills yields few jobs advertised in the UK but quite a lot in Oz.

Notts_bloke

[QUOTE=louH;7408830] True, I thought you only had to work 2 hours in Aus to be considered employed?

dave99

Well i can only speak from personal experience but in the last few months the job results searches have gone from being 5+ pages of results to less than a single page these days