biggaf

just read on another popular sparks forum that companies may be encouraged to take on restricted electricians

energysolutions

Thats good news, so long as they're prepared to pay them a decent wage, obviously it won't be top dollar but it needs to be sufficient to tide people over until all the hoops have been jumped through and the full license has been issued

lee mccardle

the artc is the best way to go not sure why anyone would want to get a restricted licence. once the tra have assessed your trade papers refferences and the like they should then issue you witha artc trade certificate taht would then allow you to go to taffe ( balga in perth) to do your a grade licence.

there are two ways to get this.
1. book the exams wich consist of 6 practical exams and one theory multiple choice exam.
2. you can attend a two week course at taffe where they walk you thorugh the exams and theory.

either option resulting in you getting the a grade licence. there will be nothing covered in the exams that as electricians you wont have done before so not to worry too much.

hope this helps.
lee.

old.sparkles

but you can't use TRA for visa, and if they find out you have done vetassess they wont issue ARTC - so I'm told.

elect42

Biggaf companies dont need to use restricted electricians theres plenty out there that has license. Alot of work involves you doing a task by your self unrestricted, hence restricted is not good for companies.

I have finally got a job which I did use Vetassess reason why I wrote this thread. I am still on the restricted electricians permit but I am not going this way and have received my ARTC which I am registering an going ARTC way this ios the onkly way to gain electrical license without being restricted for a lenghty time which in my eyes is bloody joke. I have raised my issues with energysafe and told them that us restricted guys out there are getting it really hard to gain employment. They dont know this.

Do your self a favour and everyone that reads this go and apply and get your ARTC certificate enrol with RTO and do your two week course then get license thats easy way.
My ARTC came through within a few months after I proved I am resident.

OSTR is a bloody joke which will take alot longer and put financial strain on your income waiting to gain it.
There is guys out there which are earning 25$ an hour while waiting doing silly courses the ostr way. Try and live on that with a small family impossible if your permanent you can claim centre link payments which helps abit but not whats really needed, which is a proper income.

I am on a really good rate now with a company but got in by pure luck and a little well.... Heading up north soon too. I will have my license hopefully before christmas.

Anyone that is applying for ARTC it doesnt say you have to tell them that you have a OSTR so basically dont.

rinkerdink

It does surprise me that they don't carry out a simple check to see if you have vetasses papers. For uk artc applicants you either went tra as a special class electrician or you did vetasses, is there any other way? I suppose if you are not main visa applicant but I reckon they could easily lighten their workload with a quick check to see if you are main visa applicant and if so have you already been assessed by tra or not. But hey ho hopefully it will carry on as it is

elect42

Finally got ARTC through booked onto ETL course and hoping to have license before christmas course in November.

Cancelled all Vetassess crap.

WA proposed sparkies ARTC is the only way to gain license quickly and less apprentice nonsense for fully capable sparks.
Vet way talk of being $1700
ARTC way is $295

Now I can relax.

Goodluck

colinmaclec

Well i have now been in Perth for 3 weeks and i came on the vetassess route too. I am having the same problems as the OP. I have applied for around 30 jobs and nobody is interested as i don't have a full license. One company did offer me a job but then emailed me a few days later saying there was a hold up with their work schedule and that they would be in touch if and when. I tried phoning energy safe today to ask if they knew who might hire an electrician with restricted license but i was told that they cant give any advice on the job situation and that there have been loads of people phoning and asking the same thing. I am booked on the 2 week course at Polytechnic West as part of the gap training on the 8th October but they don't even have the paperwork to send out yet as i must be on the first class. I may go the ARTC route now but i need to wait for my container to arrive with all my documents which is another 4 weeks then maybe 3-4 months to get ARTC on top of that. Basically its a complete nightmare!! Think i am going to have to look at doing something else in the meantime to keep the money coming in. To be honest i feel totally pissed that i have spent 30k to relocate here and get set up to find that i cant work.

el diablo

Wish I'd seen this thread e months ago. I'm in the process of going down the OTSR route.

Can anyone briefly tell me what's the basic difference between ARTC and OTSR?

There's so much info out there so it's all a bit confusing.

rinkerdink

You have to do vetassess First so don't worry it's all ok, the artc comes after you have vetassess otsr and your visa and are actually in Australia. Artc can shorten the pathway to a licence but has no influence on the visa process.

el diablo

Ok cool, thanks for that.

colinmaclec

I have now been in Perth for 5 weeks.I have an ostr from vetassess. I have now applied for around 50 jobs and sent CV's and a cover letter to around 40 companies at least.Had a few replies saying i have an impressive CV and references but they are not hiring at the moment. I actually got the first job i applied for but the Friday before i was due to start i recieved an email saying the work had been held up and they would let me know when it picks up again. I had another interview where the company was keen on me but as soon as he found out i couldn't work alone when he phoned energy safe during the interview to see what restrictions i was under he told me he would be in touch later that day and i never heard back from him. Nobody is interested in someone that has to be supervised for a year. None of the contractors i have spoken to are aware of the changes that were made in July either so that certainly dosen't make things any easier. I have tried speaking to energy safe, the union and NECA( Oz ECA) and all i get told told is that they sympathise and that they are inundated with similar calls from electricians in the same boat. I finally received my enrollment form for polytechnic west. The cost has magically risen to $2008 from the $1700 i was originally told when i put my name down( i have yet to speak to them and ask why!) I asked energy safe if i could go the ARTC route i was told no, so i then asked why i am punished for being the main visa applicant to which i was told they have no idea.......... EPIC. I also have tp provide the australian regs book and cable selection book which will no doubt cost me a fair bit too. I am now undecided on wether i should attend the course as that could mean i am not working for another 6 weeks as i have to attend college and may just wait till i find a job first to start earning money. Its a bit of a nightmare scenario to be honest and it really makes me wonder why they are still inviting electricians here. I am confident i will get something eventually but money is dwindling fast and 3 months would be a long time to go without money coming in after the initial start up costs.

biggaf

Hi there,
I'm in a similar position to you with the vetassess, contacting union etc as i've just arrived a week ago. The only thing difference is that a family friend has taken me on as a ta, until i find something else. These guys say that if you keep all your receipts for the courses, books, restricted license, anything work related, you can claim it all back off your tax bill in July. Hope this helps.
I read somewhere in one of the papers that Southern Cross Electrical were wanting electrical TA's, last week, or it could have been on Seek.
Goodluck.

Joshlobb43

Can any of you lads who are clued up explain to me what i need to do, i am coming over on a whv, i have done a 4year apprenticship 2 of which indentured plus 2 year experience.

My belief is i need to apply for artc, then apply for licence, then somehow manage to get 155hrs as an assistant?

Thanks for any help

colinmaclec

Thanks for the reply bigaf. I have managed to get some casual work at the moment, i had a look at the that company's website and it seems to be ta's for the mines with previous fifo experience. I don't really want to go to the mines for 4 weeks at a time as we don't know anyone here and i have 2 very young kids.