callyrfc

Just arrived in oz from UK struggling to get work with provisional licence any ideas?Also anyone went thru the vetassess program here what is required at college and is there an exams after 12 months? Any help grateful thanks

Pollyana

Which State are you in? The rules can change from one to the next.

I'll move you to the Electricians forum, loads of guys in there with Aussie experience

colinmaclec

Welcome to oz!
What state are you in? Think all states are the same now in that you have to do a 2 week course, then do 12 months log book then the same trade test as the ozzie apprentices.Its not easy to find work as i and many others will tell you. You just have to persevere and hopefuly you will get something. Its not easy for us electricians that's for sure and i do wonder why they are still bringing so many of us in

steve`o

no pollys right each state has its own rules and regs for sparkies regarding licensing,

so some more info will help people point you in the right direction

colinmaclec

Yes but i think they are all changing in line with each other. WA is now gap training and SA you can do the 1 week course but other states wont let you transfer the license unless you have held it for a while.

steve`o

under mutual recognition which has been in force for about five years ( brought in by the Howard government ) your supposed to be able to work in any state using a license from your state of residence, it still dosn`t work as each state has its own agenda try getting a QLD license with a SA one,

as for one license to cover all sates that was due to come into force last july ( July 2011 ) they are still discussing it, which means one or more of the states cannot agree to something, it may happen in the future but dont hold your breath,

steve

colinmaclec

Yes that's what i was referring too that other states will not recognize a SA License so you cant do that short cut anymore. So as far as i am aware there are no longer any easy ways to get a license. I am currently doing gap training in WA and we are being told that ARTC applicants in WA will now have to do the same (although we are maybe being told this to stop us complaining so much about it!). You can work in NSW without a license at all. Having to do gap training is a nightmare tbh and hampers your job prospects and earning potential. We are 4th year apprentices when we arrive in Australia now!

mashup

I only changed my SA licence over to NSW a couple of months back, so I don't know where you are gettin this doomsday stuff from.

As for work, there is plenty of it in sydney at the moment, things are really picking up after a poor 6 months.

steve`o

doomsday stuff? please explain

mashup

Not you Steve. The other poster claiming that other states will not accept SA licences. NSW will.

steve`o

unfortunately some SA license`s do seem to be getting questioned mate

it would seem that if you do your gap training at PEER
and try to swap your SA license for a QLD
theres been a bit of a hit and miss process
where qld electrical safety office have knocked back several applications on the grounds that the PEER course isn't sufficient
it would also seem that if you then start quoting mutual recognition and threaten further action that they some how manage to sort it out

i personally think it depends on who you get at teh end of the phone or who opens your application it would seem to be that each officer interpreter the rules as `they see it`

ive had personal experience of this i had my original application for a contractors license knocked back on the grounds that i`d not held an electrical license for a minimum of twelve months, chris at QET told me to make my application addressed to a particular officer and it was approved
there is a rule re contractors needing to hold a license for twelve months first but it is really meant to be applied where an application is received from a new sparky who had just come out of his time who dosnt have any experience and not on some one with as much grey hair as mine

mashup

Yeah, I'm aware of the issues in other states. What I'm saying is, NSW accept it. Therefor, whilst it would be a long way for a shortcut. You could do PEER>SA>NSW>QLD/WA.

People are often on here citing their own poor experiences as gospel. My experience was that it was a ****ing nightmare from start to finish but in the end it paid off through lots of phone calls, lots of emails, lots of visits to the JP and a fair whack of $$.

The licences over here are obtainable, and PEER is still a valid route, particularly as they are now increasing the difficulty of the course/exams.

old.sparkles

Isn't PEER only valid though if you have ARTC and not OTSR?

mashup

Im not sure. Why wouldn't you be able to get an ARTC though?

old.sparkles

I'm not in Australia yet, and I think it takes 3 months or more when I get to Oz next year, so quite a delay in being able to work