eleanorp

Hi Everyone,

I wish I'd found this site sooner. Everyone is sooo informed!

Perhaps someone could inform me a bit...
I've been told by an australian migration agent that my occupation of
'Graphic Designer' needs a degree qualification to be approved. I've got
an Art & Design Foundation Certificate and an HND BTEC in Graphic
design.

I've since been told by another agent that they are hopeful that I would
get a positive assessment if I can prove that this course (1985) was as
good as a degree at the time. It was a course with a very good
reputation, and I chose it instead of a degree! (If I knew then...)

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Are the assessment
organisations (mine is VetAssess) at all flexible when it comes to
assessing similar courses, or should I give up now?

I'd really appreciate any comments you have,
Thanks
Karen

George Lombard

Hi Karen,

The first agent was right. Second agent is pulling your leg. The only question is
whether your qualification is equivalent to an Australian degree. It will cost you
about A$11 to buy the relevant country education profile from the Australian
Government Bookshop (for details of the CEPs see www.detya.gov.au), A$360 to have
your qualifications assessed by Vetassess, and a lot more to have second agent tell
you that you didn't make it. AFAIK most HND qualifications are not equivalent to
degrees. And in 1985, it would have been less so.

Cheers

George Lombard

www.austimmigration.com.au

eleanorp wrote in message <[email protected]>...
    >Hi Everyone,
    >
    >I wish I'd found this site sooner. Everyone is sooo informed!
    >
    >Perhaps someone could inform me a bit... I've been told by an australian migration
    >agent that my occupation of 'Graphic Designer' needs a degree qualification to be
    >approved. I've got an Art & Design Foundation Certificate and an HND BTEC in
    >Graphic design.
    >
    >I've since been told by another agent that they are hopeful that I would get a
    >positive assessment if I can prove that this course (1985) was as good as a degree
    >at the time. It was a course with a very good reputation, and I chose it instead of
    >a degree! (If I knew then...)
    >
    >Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Are the assessment organisations (mine
    >is VetAssess) at all flexible when it comes to assessing similar courses, or should
    >I give up now?
    >
    >I'd really appreciate any comments you have, Thanks Karen
    >
    >
    >
    >--
    >Karen
    >
    >Posted via http://britishexpats.com

eleanorp

Thanks for your reply George.

It's so annoying, as I have 16 years experience as a graphic designer and now work for a national woman's magazine as a deputy Art Editor.

When I interview candidates for jobs, I'm only ever interested in their experience and their portfolio of work, not which course, if any that they did!

Plus, ASCO say that in this occupation, experience can be taken into account as it is a creative occupation. I think a degree for being a good Graphic Designer is a little over the top, but there's nothing I can do.

I'm desperately dissapointed, as I never thought this would be a problem!

Thanks for your advice,

Karen