Sooty and Sweep

Hi,

Has anyone arrived in Australia, only to find their skills do not match anything going on in the labour market, so find themselves unemployed, and cannot get work?

So they decide to retrain, go to university, and study for an Australian Degree, in say for example, healthcare, radiographer for example. Just an example?

I suppose what I am asking is, has anyone looked into doing this. On a PR visa what options are open to you with regards to course fees, bursaries to cover living costs, what entry qualifications are deemed acceptable? If you have a degree from a UK university would this go in your favour for an entry qualification?

I ask because the course fee’s in the UK, are getting quite steep, along with Student Loans, its quite depressing the thought of going back to university at the age of 30, only to leave with a load of debt here in the UK.

Are there any opportunities in Australia to retrain, and are you a different entity in relation to an Australian wishing to retrain and get a vocational degree?

Sooty and Sweep

Bump, anyone no experiences?

Wendy

You can go to Uni and retrain no problem. Not sure about entry requirements, haven't quite got my head around them

Fees vary from course to course, as a PR visa holder you'll be required to pay the domestic fee. You can't get help with fees etc until you are a citizen though, so you would have to fund it yourself.

I recently looked at a couple of courses and they were both $17k per year. So I'm waiting until I am a citizen to do it (unless I find a nice job I like beforehand).

Sooty and Sweep

$17k a year plus living expenses, jeez that's alot of dosh? Maybe cheaper to put off emigration for three years, do the degree here in the UK?

Do many Australians go to university, its just the degree programmes in the UK are turning into the new YTS, so diluting the qualification?

I just wondered whether a science, maths, engineering, medical Degree is worth any more in Australia, as they are not so common?

Centurion

Mate,

I retrained here in Australia. I would only suggest NOT getting a degree in the UK and rather in Australia for one very good reason. Your qualification will help you in the Australian job market, rather than an overseas qualification.

Sure, degree programs are much the same worldwide, but any potential employer is going to respect the Australian degree before the UK one.

Also - I made heaps of friends at uni which helped me settle in really quickly. That and there is somthing about doing a degree in the sun surrounded by palm trees and hot young bikini wearing chics.

Remember you can work providing your not on a student visa and the workload isnt that terrible meaning you could quite easily work your way through uni and have a blast doing it. I did

Sooty and Sweep

Sounds bloody great, just wondering, what was your degree in, and what sort of cost are you looking at over the period of study to pay course fees on a PR visa, not living costs.

Is there any support financially while on a PR visa?

Did it help you get a job, was it worth it, was it three or four years.

Sorry for all the questions, but i am seriously thinking of completing another degree when i arrive in Australia, just don't know what yet.

Does holding a Uk degree help with entry requirements? I have an engineering degree.

I just have a feeling that in the Brisbane, coastal area, the requirement for quality/process/production engineers in the automotive/rail sector will be non existent, so maybe looking at health care. What do you think?

Centurion

Basically no. HECS help is for citizens I think. If you are on a PR visa then you are not limited as to the hours to can work, whereas a student visa would limit that and offer no residency at the end.

For me I wanted to retrain completely. I came here on a 136 skilled senior management visa. The idea was to combine my interest in sports and bodybuilding with remedial sports therapy. An Australian qualification was essential, but yes my previous qualifications and experience helped and earned some RPL credit.

I tried to find something that I really wanted to do that fitted in with my dream of living more a lifestyle than a solid 24/7 money rat race. Hope you find something you want to do. Have a look at the Uni websites for courses, particularly UQ NS Griffith.

I live in Wellington Pt on Bayside Brisbane. There is a demand for health care workers in the area in both traditional care and therapies (physio etc).

I secured an interview with the Uni before I left and had that before applying via the QTAC system in Queensland. That way my application was preapproved as I didnt hold an Australian qualification.

Personally I love having used the opportunity to migrate to change not only the country I live in, but change career and life direction.

Sooty and Sweep

Bloody fantastic, good luck to you and thanks very much for the info.

Funny that, i do fancy physio, its just three years worth of course fee's, and hopefully some part time work to cover living expenditure?

$17,000.00 a year muiltiplied by 3 is $51000.00 around £23,000.00, a hell of alot of money.


Ummmm tough call really, have to do some long hard thinking, might be worth looking at the NHS here, you get sponsored here and a bursary, i know its not an Australian Degree, but could save alot of cash?

Wendy

There's a fee calculator here: http://www.uq.edu.au/study/index.htm...=25540&pid=947

you need to select 'domestic student' and also 'full fee'.

It will give you an idea of costs.

Sooty and Sweep

FANBLOODYTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks Wend's,

This will be the oppurtunity for me to decide whether the price is right?

Domestic full-fee places: $AUD 19205 Is that per year

If so, nearly $80,000.00, back to the drawing boards?

http://www.uq.edu.au/study/program.html?acad_prog=2021

balkanghost

As an education counsellor I would suggest that a TAFE/VET Vocational pathway 2 years is more practical and economic than university, minimum 3 years study.

Remember unless you have PR or are citizen you pay international fees, TAFE/VET start at AUD9000 per year, paid half yearly.

Most of the traditional trades with training are in Victoria and QLD.

NickyC

I think you might be selecting the wrong fee option here. Most people go to Uni on commonwealth-supported places, which are around $4-7k a year (depending on type of course). The domestic-fee paying places are for students who don't quite make the educational-level for commonwealth-supported places but are prepared to 'buy' their way in.

I know you're not a school-leaver (!) but mature-aged students (citizens or PR) can still qualify for commonwealth-supported places - same as school-leavers.

I'd check with the Uni you're interested in, to get details of what's required educationally for mature students. There's a good chance you'd be able to do the course you want via a commonwealth-supported place and you'll pay much less than $17k a year.

Wendy

Thanks Nicky, that certainly sounds a lot better

Sooty and Sweep

Yep, thanks, being on a PR, being over 30, already having a degree, all rolled up may just help reduce the fees?

Thanks