parkhigh

Hi
(Im posting this enquiry for my husband so I apologise if I have any of the facts wrong, but our computer is up the creek so have asked my friend if i could post today)

Richard recently posted an enquiry about plumbing courses due to our dilemma of selling the house etc. He has now just come across a course called wr open college network 61539 plumbing. It replaces the old city and guilds 998? and uses much of the information from the city and guilds 6129. The guy who came to talk about it stated that it was higher than the c&G6129 and just below the nvq. He stated that it has been around for about 10 years and plumbers know of it and it is an acceptable qualification for the plumbing industry. You can fast track and qualify in 6 months if you study hard, work for an employer and get your nvq and can also get corgi registered a month later. Sounds too good to be true doesnt it, but I do have 2 friends that have embarked on this course so am wondering what the consensus is?

My question is, is it truly known? and if so would he be able to use this qualification in Australia? He appreciates that he would have to go to tafe for additional learning which he doesnt mind and expects to as they have different regulations there (fixings etc i think).

Bear in mind we already have validated our visas and it is on my qualification nurse that we have our visa. This qualification if acceptable would give him an opportunity as a mature person to change his current career.

Anyhow any feedback from you would be really appreciative as it sounds ideal getting qualified within a shorter duration, but is it worth the paper its written on?

Many thanks
Irene

Anne4Terry

Hubby has never heard of it. We're a bit confused though because a C & G is the same as an NVQ. Hubby says that anything lower than an NVQ, forget it.

scottish

Also the he will be Corgi reg through the company he works for, unless he is going self employed but he will still have to sit his ACS.

My hubby says forget it too..... why not wait till you get to OZ and do an adult apprenticeship... we know of alot of guys who have done this in NZ.

parkhigh

Hi
Thanks for your replies....isnt he too old for an adult apprenticeship? Hes 39 now and will be 40 in Feb. He is thinking that he wants to do this even though it will delay us about 6 months. Sorry to sound stupid but what is ACS?
Thanks again this information is really useful in helping us make up our mind to go or stay once the house is sold.
Irene

paulf

From posts by other plumbers and gasfitters already in Aus, UK qualifactions are no good in OZ! any plumber wanting to work in Oz will need to get licensed by passing further exams.

parkhigh

Hi
Thanks very much for all your replies. It's a little disappointing as he thought he could get qualified quickly and work with some updating in aus. So it looks that we will leave the uk sooner when the house is sold and get trained in aus. Do they do fast track qualifications in aus?
cheers for all of your help
Irene

scottish

Irene, ACS is the Gas qualification that took over from ACOPs....

He def isnt too old for an Adult Apprenticeship and yes no matter how many qualification he will get in the Uk he has to pass exams etc in OZ.. so I would wait till you get to OZ and get an Adult apprenticeship.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

parkhigh

Hi
Thanks for that. I think we have decided that we will definately go straight away. Lets just hope the house sale progresses quickly. We are just waiting for the dates for the survey.....

Thanks again
irene and rich

beebopaloola

most employers in the Uk disregard fast track qualifications because the best way to learn a trade is by doing an appreticeship, i dont know what they do in Oz, but i imagine its the same...

ROBnCAZ

In my experience, 'zero to hero' qualifications are not worth the paper they are written on. In the eyes of experienced tradesmen (future employers?) there is absolutely no substitute for good old fashioned experience gained through an apprenticeship.
It's all very well having the quals but as with anything in life, you never really start learning til you get out there and give it a go on your own, in the real world!
Good luck with whatever you decide....I think it is very brave to embark on a career change at 39. Mucho respecto to you both.......hope it all works out.

mooncat

Hi all,
I am reading this thread with interest and a bit of panic thrown in. We are still at the research stage in the UK and I have spent all my time on here reading the stuff about nurses. Now I have stumbled across this thread about plumbers I am rapidly losing my confidence about a pain free move. I would really appreciate it if anyone could direct me to info about UK qualified plumbing and gas engineers working in Oz. We appreciate that there will be some sort of skills assessment for my partner but is that as far as it goes or are the qualifications he has gained here worthless?

paulf

The qualifactions will help towards a successful TRA, PROVIDING he also has the required experience.
If he did,nt do a apprenticeship he will need to prove he has SIX years on the job experience showing on the job training aswell.
Beaware just sending qualifacations to the TRA will fail, I did that 1st time around and was told I needed to show experience.
You have made a great start finding this site, there is loads of info here and just ask questions when you think of them the people here are very helpful.

mooncat

Oh no! That's not good news! He's done his NVQ3 in plumbing and we are just waiting for the dates for his ACS. He didn't do an apprenticeship and as he's only just qualified, doesn't have the six years work experience. Maybe he will have 18 months by the time we apply. I just don't understand why there are so many restrictions when plumbers are one of the trades on the skilled migration list. I will be fine as I will be a qualified psychiatric nurse so if needs be, we can go over on my visa but if his qualification is not recognised in Oz, what is he supposed to do when we get there?
Thanks for the reply by the way. Can I ask, if you don't mind, are you an in work plumber?

paulf

I am working here in the UK, as far as just passing his ACS it is not gonna be any good for OZ, but as you say he will be able to go with you and your qualifactions.
He is in the same boat as most plumbers/gasfitters going to OZ in that he will need to go to college and get Oz qualifacations, BUT he is luckier than most since because of you he wont have to attempt a TRA which he would definately fail without the six years experience.
Getting a Aus plumbers license is the way for him to go, here is a good site use the search for info.
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/services/...0&ASCO=443111A

mooncat

Thanks Paul, I found some good links from that and am still waiting for some replies to emails i've sent. In the mean time.....if it will be necessary for my partner to go to college in Oz, how long will the course be and what will it be in? I somehow can't envisage him going back to college after being on an earner over here. Also, why will he not have to get a TRA?

I find it really frustrating that there can be this many barriers. Maybe I am just being a naive girly but I imagined gas fitting would be pretty much the same world wide and that Aussie boilers would pretty much work in the same way as they do over here!!! (It's ok for me as apparently, mental health problems seem to be experienced in the same way the wold over so i'm sorted!!)