Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Hi we are planning a move to australia within the next few years (Brisbane) and need some help on the right career move once in oz? im a qualified plumber and gas fitter here in england and have heard in australia that our qualifications here mean nothing once in oz
What qualifications in australia will deem me employable once there?
Can i achieve these qualifications in the uk before the move?

I have also heard that the gas work in australia is not what it is over here and that there is not much call for his type of work?

i am thinking of re training in the air conditioning trade? would there be more chance of getting work this way?

Many thanks for taking the time to read this look forward to my replies

Fitzpatrick Family

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

hubby came over here as a gas fitter, well thats how we got the visa. Gas work is a nightmare to get into, your trade is recognised but not your skills, we could not get any sense out of anyone when we arrived on how to get his skills recognised. Eventually he gave up and got a job putting up car ports as we needed $$ coming in.

We have been in Adelaide 18 months and he has just managed to get a job in his trade well air con engineer, still not got his licence but is working for a company and they are going to send him to Tafe to get his skills recognised.

So it can be done but be prepared for some frustrating time ahead.

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Thank you ozzy fever for your help,

I think i might have to look into the air con route b4 i head out so can come out with plumbing and air con trades

Wishing you all the best

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Im a plumber gas engineer, been here 6weeks and had 3 job offers, Ive been given my plumbing and gas ticket already but will have to sit a exam to get my licenses so im on the list but you only need this to sign off work, If you were here you could get a job with me next week! hope this has helped. talking to the employers helps as they dont understand as a plumber in the UK we do the lot

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Hi there
My oh is a plumber gas fitter we have our visa's and are coming over in April. Hope he finds work as quickly as you did. Where abouts are you? We are landing in Brisbane on the 15th April. Can you offer any help or advice on the job front?
Thanks Kate

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Been a plumber/ gas fitter here for 4 years now so have been through what you will have to do when you arrive here. First thing you should know is that plumbing/gas fitting here is very different from the uk i.e. the regulations etc. Your skills from the UK are still needed though. If you want to do plumbing/ gas fitting then dont waste your money on an air con course. The money for plumber/gasfitter is about the same. You will be issued with a provisional plumbers/drainers licence when you arrive and if your gas quals are up to date a full type A gas licence. To gain a full plumber/ drainer licence you will have to enroll on a skills tech course at acacia ridge (south brisbane).It can take you a year to get the full licence if you do 4 courses each semester. On a provisional licence you can work for a plumbing firm, you only need the full licence if you want to work for yourself. The full course will cost you about$3400. Your gas licence about $200 and last for 5 years.
P.S. Get used to holding a shovel as you will be doing lots of digging!!!!
P.P.S. I'ts hard, but living here is well worth the pain, i'll never be going back!
Hope this helps, and good luck.

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Hi my husband is a plumber here and basically as long as you bring your qualifications with you, you can go to the plumbing board in Brisbane and obtain a provisional licence to start work immediately, you will need to pick up the Australian standards/different lingo as you go along but it is possible and there is work especially in Brisbane although the pay is not brilliant compared to a few years ago, HOWEVER, if you want to set up your own business as we did NIGHTMARE this means going back to college re-sitting all of your exams which can take anywhere from 6 months (optimistic) to 3 years it depends on you really, it is also very costly and once you have done this you can obtain a sub-contractor licence to work yourself - it is a lengthy process and a bit soul destroying I have to say as obtaining a contract is virtually impossible but then I suppose it is who you know - so there you have it - good luck :thumbup:

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Hi
Thanks for your replies. I think to start with my oh will be working for someone instead of himself. He is self employed at the moment but i guess working for a company is one way to meet new people. All docs are up to date so fingers crossed he can get a provisional and start looking for work straight away.
Did you just apply for jobs advertised or did you go on to sites asking if there was work available??
Have read quite a few threads on here saying it is hard to find work as a plumber or gasfitter at the moment. Not too worried though, he will take any work to get the money coming in till the right job comes up.

Can't wait to get over there now. We know it will be hard at first but going to give everything we have got, surely it's got to be better than being in the UK at the moment. Enjoying the snow though, no work bonus!!

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

I got my first job by going around the plumbing merchants and asking the counter staff if any one was looking to take on plumbers. The main ones in Brisbane are Tradelink, Reece, PHD and Samios. There are also smaller merchants, all are worth a try and will let you put up a CV with you details.

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

Thanks sdel. Will make a note of those companies and give tham a try.

Re: Plumbing, Gas work or Air Con please help?
 

HI all,

Ronnie98, may I ask if your company have any positions available? me and my partner are coming over in 2 and half weeks and he is a fully qualified gasfitter, we are coming on permanent residency visas and are looking to get settled into work soon as possible.

please private message me if you have any info
thank you

sarah