CtvShoko

Was at energy safe Vic today got everything gap training done cert III issued by vetassess they still refuse to upgrade my L grade to A grade i must still have it for a year its a mess now have applied ARTC again seems noone knows what needs to be done

colinmaclec

I just called Polytechnic West and am booke on the October course as well and have been told the same as the OP. I arrive in Perth in 2 weeks and this has now put a real downer on things for me. I just hope i can find a company that will take me on whilst i get this sorted. Even if we do manage to get employment no doubt we will be exploited for cheap labour. I can understand why they want to protect the trade we should have done something similar in the UK but we already have spent a lot of money to get there and do Vetassess and been told they desperatley need electricians only to be hit with this once we are past the point of no return!

rinkerdink

WA do seem to be very harsh, I was lucky enough to go through the mental phase you are in well before I had a visa thanks to the whistle blowing on here. All I can say is the sense of injustice fades and it does all pass. A kick in the bollocks but not insurmountable.

Good luck and console yourself that you are not alone

biggaf

Hi mate,
I need to ring up this week to book the course, after just receiving my letter. Looks like my savings will be going down a lot quicker than first thought.
What sort of visa have you got? Did you get a discount?

energysolutions

I`m really beginning to wonder if that is accurate, if it is they certainly don't make the process easy

I understand (and agree) that the trade should be regulated to ensure only qualified quality people can undertake (dangerous) electrical work and I even think the UK should do something similar but the hoops that Australia makes Electricians jump through to get a license is ridiculous

I don't mind the skills assessment (makes sense) and I can understand a theory based test but what grates my cheese is the "Log book" which prevents a full license for up to a year

As others have said its bad enough to have to effectively become an apprentice again especially after many of us have run our own businesses in the UK but the chances of getting employment whilst on a restricted license are slim and any employment gained will not pay top dollar which is a problem in a place like Australia with the expensive cost of living

When it impacts for an extended period on your earning power and your ability to provide for your family thats not good and I genuinely don't think I would move under those conditions

biggaf

I know where your coming from mate, but when your living in a caravan after renting your house out, and the Cumbrian weather rattles on yer windows, I ain't turning back know. The amount of hurdles you have to get over to get to this stage, as you know, is unbelievable. Just take a deep breath and carry on. It's just another wee blip. :-)

colinmaclec

I am on a PR visa 176 its costing $1700 with subsidised. But im sure we can claim it back on your tax return but that dont help short term! Im camping in my uk house at the mo lol as my furniture is somewhere on a boat lol so no turning back for me now either.

energysolutions

So how much can a fully licensed spark realistically expect to earn in Oz and does being a non Aussie negatively affect your earning power? I know there are a million variables that will have a bearing (i.e. type of work, experience, location etc etc) but is it all worth the hassle?

From my research it seems that the going rate seems to be between $30 and $40/hour obviously FIFO mine work etc will command more but is this what most people will be looking at?

And what about the potential interim period of being employed as a trades assistant for up to 12 months whilst gaining a full license, what sort of cash can they command?

I`m just trying to build up an accurate picture, any help would be appreciated

rinkerdink

In Brisbane last October I was told around $27 p/h as a TA and early $30's as a licenced sparks. So not much in it. Can go as high as$40 if on a union site apparently. I wasn't exactly thrilled by this but in for a penny it is now...

energysolutions

Interesting, got to say that wouldn't thrill me either, I mean with a family to support $27/hour is OK cash for the UK but when you factor in the higher cost of living in Oz........

I wonder if geography makes a difference i.e. could sparks and TAs in Perth for example expect more? And do non Aussies get a worse deal on the cash front? I doubt it but I`d like to hear others experiences

biggaf

Surely $30-$40 is enough? What about the lifestyle that you'll get out there, the future of your kids?
Once your on jobs then you hear about others, you start your network again keeping peoples numbers. Of course it won' t be easy but you only get out what you put in, and youve got to give yourself a timescale.

energysolutions

Good points, the problem I`m up against is trying to gauge income/outgoings from what information I can find

I recently saw a job advertised for $30/hour which equates to around $930/week after tax which soon got eaten up by our *projected* weekly expenditure e.g.

Rent
Food
Fuel
Electric
etc

Of course if wifey works even part time that helps a lot but in the event that there is only one wage (mine) then I`d want to be sure that ends meet

rinkerdink

On our recce last October we came to the conclusion that it will be tight at first definitely and perhaps always but we looked at what you could do for free and decided as Aussies seem to manage we should give it a go. As my dad said to me recently if it takes a day to get there it will take a day to come back.

energysolutions

Wise words

rinkerdink

Indeed, it took me back a few years hearing advice like that from him