dodge26

Thanks for the information, I have almost give up hope on this whole migration plan, even though it has been our 5 year plan. This whole getting a job has a restricted electrician seems so unrealistic. Its great that people like yourself are willing to take time out and try and point out other electricians in the right direction. Keep up the good work..

Davy

Hi all, good thread with plenty of info. As recently arrived in Oz [June] and totally confused about the whole electrical license story this is my route. Hopefully it'll help somebody.
Basically vetassess isn't worth the paper it's written on. No employers have heard of it and don't understand the city and guilds qualifications.Even QLD trade skills hadn't heard of it. Having said that if you have a JIB trade card it is a bit easier if you ever get to an interview.Also a lot of contractors here seem to use agencies so get on the books when you arrive. I was lucky enough to get a job in 6 weeks out of the paper.
I applied to the electrical safety office in Qld on arrival and was granted a 'permit to train' and told to contact my local T.A.F.E.
I attended an interview at TAFE [$80] to have my qualifications accessed again and started a GAP course at the end of July [$1150}[Aussy regs, testing and inspection]. The course runs until the start of December and I have to keep a log book while I'm attending it. The accessor said I was mean't to do the log book for a year but there was no way he was asking a tradesman to do that. The log book is mean't to be signed by your employer at the end of every week. The log book is a tick box of your past experience and what your doing every week.
As for supervision the assessor said he was taking this statement to the the minimum and in reality unless you have a contractors license you are under supervision of your employer anyway. He basically said if you employer is happy then we are happy. My employer checked with the electrical safety office in person and they basically said the same. I also did a 1 day blue card induction [$55], C.P.R. and switch board rescue [$185 paid by employer] and an electrical risk management course [$240]. When I finish the course in december I send my certificate with a statement from the TAFE assessor and my signed log book to the safety office and I should get my Electrical Mechanics licence back.
This is probibly not the easiest or quickest route for everyone but it suits my circumstances.Davy

rinkerdink

this is certainly a workable alternative to peer, thanks for letting us all know about your experiences

Huggkat

This is the way my hubby is doing it - just doesn't have the job part! Will still hopefully be able to get round it to gain his licence from his past experiences

Kat

WarrenG

This thread has been a very good and helpful thread for me to assess the whole process of this big move over again.

I contacted Vetassess for further information regarding the successful completion of the Vetassess process and what should be expected when I am arrive in Australia regarding work.

I have successfully passed the paperbased assessment with a Level 1 and have the practical assessment book for next month in Blackburn.

Vetassess emailed me back an Electricians Candidate Information Pack 2009 (see below), which they send to you once you have been successful and which confirms and outlines the Gap training and the 6 steps to gaining your qualification to obtain a full license.

We have found this a real blow, as like many others we took the Vetassess route because we belived that I would be assessed here in the UK against the Oz standards and be issued with a temporary license so that you can work in Oz as an electrician when you arrive.

We understood that the wiring rules short course would need to be done, but it appears that the goalposts have just moved further and further away!

We have now decided that we are not going to continue with the process (sorry if this sounds negative) as we have found ourselves in the position of being fully able to get to Oz, but not being able to work straight away (or even restricted if it could be found) would have a drastic effect on our financial status and it is not really the ideal starting point with a very young child.

I am usually not the type for giving up on something, but I have my own business here and I am a fully qualified government approved electrician, qualified in electrical installation, inspection & test, electrical design plus.

The thought of having to retrain as a spark in Oz is far less appealing to the idea of being assessed against my already gained and proved qualifications. Retraining is fine if you can earn enough to keep a roof over your head and live the standard of life that you have made the big move for.

I have tried to put my circumstances across to hopefully help others because I have found the site very useful with some great people.

So if your circustances are different and I were in your shoes, I would still go for it.

Vetassess Electricians Candidate Information Pack 2009 here:



Warren

nigel and wendy

@ warren .....i guess under your circumstances back in the uk its the rite thing to do(with a family an all) but a bit of a bummer

ive only been here 3 months now and the amount of red tape and hoops to jump through just to work and do a job you`ve done for years is , well,scandalous at the extreme........i mean after all i`m here to work for a better life for my self and family and for the oz economy,but it just seems soul destroying sometimes.Doesnt oz want skilled imigrants for the better of country ????? sometimes i wonder !!

dodge26

Its ridiculous, this whole we need skilled migrants, isn't certainly built up for a big let down. I'm similar to Warren G I've almost give up this whole migration plan. Hopefully it works out for you guys and you get that break you need...

nigel and wendy

soldier on regardless at least the weather is better and i seem to have discovered "pure blonde"

WarrenG

If you can get through all the hoops and remain financially sound, then no doubt the quality of life will make it all hopefully fade into the distance.

Its just ashame its just not as easy as this (see below)

Stay positive and good luck!

rinkerdink

certainly a bit of a blow!

We have pretty much decided to proceed to the visa - we blown most of the fee's now anyway.

Actually thinking of doing something completely different once over there if it is too much of a palaver, the sparks rates of pay don't seem that great anyway. This will make a bit of a mockery of the system but as you say if it's a case of family over system, there can be only one winner. Won't be selling up though which means although we will be forced to rent a while it will be easier to return should the worst happen, gotta be worth a bash now i am so far gone

Huggkat

Hi,

I really feel for everyone going through this (especially those trying to move over with children). For us this has been a tough 6 months since we moved out but although essentially we are starting over again we do feel quite positive about the whole situation. We have found a lovely place to rent, my job is better paid than in the UK and we have no debts now and money in the bank. So although our initial plans of my husband working so that I could reduce my hours to start a family may not materialise for some time yet, we are still confident that things will change eventually.

Good luck to you all whatever stage you are at and keep smiling

Kat xx

The_Pom_From_Aus

may i add this, i spoke to the main training manager today at PEER in S/A on 2/2/2010 regarding the transfer of mutual agreement of license from any state to another state.
if WA are refusing your transfer i was told they are NOT allowed to do that at all.

once you have your full license the man said, all states must oblige in the mutual agreement they don't have a choice at all.
that's straight from the main bloke at PEER i can supply you with his name & phone number if you want to send a P?M to me.

Arthur