Mike Mitchell 1981

Hi all just found out from my friends in Oz I have received a certificate classing me as an electrical fitter not mechanic. I feel sick I thought I had included enough evidence but I have emailed asking for feedback. I am presuming it's to do with my apprenticeship as my cerificates of unit credit for NVQ level 2 & 3 are a standard unit describing engineering units rather than electrical units, I will appeal and send most of my logbook info that should sicken them off reading through all that.
I am sure ill get it sorted it's just really dissapointing when you think you have sent enough information.
good job I haven't left for Oz yet as I was going to leave all my apprenticeship logbooks with my parents.

Mike

Jambo

Don't be too disappointed Mike, at least you have got a ARTC, ok not in the exact trade description, but as I understand it, once you have passed your exam (whether it be peer or a specific state exam), it doesn't matter. I know it's disappointing to put all that work in and not get the result you were hoping for. Are you going to appeal?

A mechanic trade just means you can carry out the final connections (again as I understand it). Please correct me if i'm wrong

Be interested in what the feedback is from the TRA.

When did you send your application off and how long was it before they replied. Also, did you get a message back to say they have recieved your application (I sent mine off nearly 2 weeks ago and heard nothing)

Wendy

Where you heading Mike

Might be worth looking into the SA licensing route


http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/assets/files/ewr_infosheet_oseas.pdf

Mike Mitchell 1981

Hi Jambo

I am not entirely sure on how long ago I sent it but it must have been 3 weeks at the most, my friends in oz told me last week that they had received a letter stating it had been received and then they emailed yesterday saying that they had received the certificate.
I received feedback and basically they weren't happy that I had shown enough evidence in my apprenticeship to be classed as a electrical mechanic, I am going to ring tonight to find out exactly what they need as I am sure if I send them extracts from my logbook that this should be enough.
To be honest it's probably my own fault but I presumed that all the unit descriptions would be enough but maybe they need to see my assessments and how the unit was cross referenced. fingers crossed I get it right this time.

good luck to you with your application.

Mike

Mike Mitchell 1981

Hi Wendy

I am heading to the Gold Coast, we fly on the 28th of Dec so Ill sort the appeal when I get to Oz now, I was just hoping to have it in place for my arrival. I suppose I was maybe just abit presumptious that I had compiled enough evidence to get me the mechanic's licence.

Mike

Jambo

Hi Mike,
You've got me worried now - I didn't send logbooks / unit descriptions etc with my application. Mind you, I did my appprenticeship 25years ago and didn't have any of these logbooks etc. I just sent a description of my training for each year, explaining what we were taught and worked on.

Let me know how you went on after you're conversation with TRA, I'd be interested to now what they say.

leeob77

like wendy said if they dont change the certificate dont worry you can still do the peer route and get full license. i applied for an artc as an electrical fitter as im a maintenance electrician. im going via the SA route to get full license then hoping to settle in perth.

good luck.

lee.

Mike Mitchell 1981

Hi Lee
I am also a maintenance electrician, I am going to speak to TRA tonight and try and find out what information they require. I have just been to my parents house to dig out four folders of evidence I completed during my apprenticeship, if I cant find what they are looking for in there then I give up!

Hi Jambo

Ill let you know how I get on and what I was missing, I didn't describe what I did each year of my apprenticeship, so you may be ok!.
From the info they sent me with regard to an Australian electrician I think they want to see more evidence of installing lighting circuits and evidence of selection of cable and protection, so if you have included this you should be fine.

cheers

Mike

Mike Mitchell 1981

Hi all

just been on the phone to TRA and they are saying that I have been given the right classification if I am a maintenance electrician but surely you need to be classed as a mechanic in order to make live connections ie wiring circuits, fault finding and connecting and disconnecting motorsas a maintenance electrician you make live connections everyday! It is really confusing if there are maintenance electricians working in OZ now I would appreciate your input.
To be honest they were not very helpful on the phone at all and just wanted to get me off the phone which is a great help when your trying to sort you future lively hood out!

Mike

Wendy

Hi Mike,

Yes, my OH is a Maintenance Electrician as well. Although he did have the responsibility of wiring new offices up, rewiring machinery and even having to do some work with the Electricity board to upgrade the mains outside (don't know the technical terms sorry ) We just made sure that we focused more on the electrical side of things than the 'maintenance' side of things.

I do feel that now you have a fitter classification you may be just as well going the Peer route. It will be the quickest and easiest way to get a full licence and therefore working on full pay quicker. It may seem more expensive on the outset, but if you're working on full pay 3 or 4 months quicker that will soon make up for it - Peer do a correspondence course and you only have to attend to do the exam. The licensing authority will post your licence interstate too

Mike Mitchell 1981

Hi Wendy

I have experiance of wiring machinary up and also of installing lighting circuits and power sockets, but I think I got the wrong end of the stick about a machanic's licence when I applied as I thought it would be sufficient to explain that I make live connections, for instance I wrote a report about replacing a variable speed drive and detailed about making the mains and motor connections. I now understand that a mechanics licence is the equalivent to a installation electrician in England.
I have reports in my apprenticeship logbook about installing machinary and lighting circuits, its just I am not sure whether to try and appeal and supply new evidence or wait until I get to Oz and try and upgrade to the mechanics licence there?
could you give me some info as to what I would need to do to go the Peer route? is it a case of working through the books via correspondance and then taking the wiring regs exam? The thing I was unsure on was how would this route get me the mechanics licence? If you could clarify this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much for your help Wendy

Mike

leeob77

im doing the peer route now. ive also got artc as electrical fitter. upon enrolment to the course (about $950) you will be sent all the books etc you will need (regs, cable selection, etsa utilities etc) plus the workbook you need to work through. its basically an a4 ring binder with about 130 pages of questions. you work your way through the book at your own pace then contact peer to arrange a date for your exam. you get a revision day and an exam next day. on the third day hopefully i can apply for license at ocba in adelaide.
the way it works in south australia is they dont have seperate licenses for mechanics and fitters - they have one license (electrical workers license) which allows you to do any work. then its up to you if you want to transfer it to another state but you dont have to do this any more as they are recognised inter state now.

lee.

Wendy

Exactly right. SA only have two licences, one is a restricted one and the other is a full licence - the restricted one is what you get if you just send in the ARTC cert and not the wiring rules exam. Once the wiring rules exam is passed they upgrade it to a full licence. If you look back at post 3 you'll see the link to the info sheet on it

You can claim the course fees back at tax return time (it has to be in the same year though) and also half of the licence fee.

Mike Mitchell 1981

Hi Wendy and Lee

thanks for the info it suddenly seems alot easier than it did 2 days ago. so because licences are now interstate does this mean I would then just take what would be a south Australian licence back to queensland and would be able to work as fully licenced electrician or would I still need to register with the Queensland Goverment.

thanks

Mike

krunchynutt

I got classified as an electrical fitter after getting electrician special class for visa assessment. I was a little disappointed but then though stuff it it will not matter to me anyway.

I did my apprenticeship in a UK coal mine and installed loads of kit up to 11,000v and even worked live on 11,000v feeders. I have since worked as a maint spark in a factory for a few years.

I phoned TRA about the wrong classification and they told me as I was living in South Australia it did not matter which classification I got as I could do peer.

This was in April this year.

I have not done peer, not sure if I will bother as have been offered an electrical job which does not need a license.