PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

Hi everybody

I have submitted my application for the ARTC three weeks ago and I am just waiting for it to be granted so that I can fly to Adelaide to sit the AS/NZS 3000 Standards exams at PEER. During this waiting period, I have been constantly working through the PEER work book after work until daft o'clock every night!

I just have some questions regarding the work book and PEER course if that's ok (as I'm getting a bit nervous now). Although I have read through probably every post regarding PEER, some of the posts are a little old (although very informative and interesting) and just wondered if anyone has any recent information as things do change? Big thanks to the people who have posted previously.

Anyway, heres my questions, any help would be great....

Do all the questions in the workbook have to be completed before I get to Oz? As Im finding it difficult to do the maximum demand, cable calcs and volts drop questions on my own, and find answers and clauses for every question, especially Section 10 - ETSA Utilities etc.

Do I need to know maximum demand, cable calcs and volts drop really well for the exams? And are there alot if questions on them?

Are any questions the same as in the workbook?

How is the course structured? I got told I will be on a 4 day course doing 1 or more theory assessments per day, with a practical at the end. And what does the practical consist of?

How many questions are in each exam and how many exams are there?

Are the exams easy/hard, and do the tutors help you through them as much as is said on this forum?

What happens if you fail? Do you get another chance to do it or correct your answers?

Sorry for all the questions! Got a million things going through my head!

And when my ARTC gets granted I will be posting all the evidence that I submitted along with the timescales, for all the people who have got questions about that.

Thanks guys

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

Hey there

not sure i can be much help here! I m a resident here in Aus from the UK.

I did consider the PEER course myself but ended up going to tafe to complete my license exams.

there was questions on max demand but it was a single domestic install and a block of unit table c1 and c2. Im no wiz kid myself but didn't find it too hard..

you 'll be right!! you have the As3000 in the exam check out the examples in there.

probably find there s few multi choice q's too.

you might find its a relaxed atmosphere and i thought with peer course there was one days revision too?

Best of luck

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

I'll move you to the electricians forum, might get more help in there :)

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

Thanks Bosswobo. And thanks Pollyana, Ive not posted on here for a while and have conpletely forgot!! Lol!.

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

Hi Adam,

I'm in a similar boat, working through the peer course work. I managed to do the max demand questions ok for the single phase questions but left the 3 phase ones as in the question it doesn't make it clear what the phase loading is and in the regs it does, this is one of the questions I'm building up to email the course tutor with. I have found the etsa questions hard going too but I'm going to have another go tonight. My gut feeling is that they expect you to have had trouble with some of the questions but you need to cOmplete the course work so they can see what areas need extra attention.

It was my understanding that there is a long exam and a practical assessment, not one every day but Im not sure.

Also don't want to be there bringer of bad news but they seem to have knocked overseas artc applications on the head so if you are not yet residing in Australia and have yet to get your artc result you might struggle.

Any way good luck and if you have any answers you want to compare please let me know.

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

Hi Rinkerdink

Thanks for your reply.

I have managed the first 2 of the maximum demand questions, but I too have left the rest. I was really good at college 7 years ago but just can't remember how to do them fully, or where to look for everything in the Standards.

I have emailed a guy at PEER, probably the same person that's in the front of your workbook, and the answers he has given haven't been that much help, and have taken around the two week mark for a reply.

In addition, he also said that the people who do not have a good understanding of maximum demand, cable selection or volts drop etc, do often not do well, and that he has classes full of people failing because they turn up thinking that they can learn about the subjects whilst they are there, when they should already know the fundamental principles - hence the long wait for a reply. This has made me start thinking of getting a tutor for a few refresher sessions.

As for Section 10, I too have found this tough, especially trying to navigate the book trying to find the answers. Ive found they are very scattered and at the minute this section is half empty! However, yesterday I came to the end of the workbook and am now in the process of going back through the book, answering all of the questions I have left, and like you, am compiling a list of questions to ask.

Luckily, as I have a sponsorship from an employer and going on a 457 visa, I have an Australian address for correspondance. I received an email on Saturday 4th Feb, saying that my application for ARTC had been received and will be being processed, so hopefully (and it is hopeful!) I will hear someting in the near future! My agency reckon the last person they put through the ARTC took 4 weeks, but after reading the posts on here, I'm not so sure!

Also, I would be more than happy to share answers with you. It's difficult doing it on your own late at night!! If I can be any help just le me know.

Thanks rinkerdinker

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

Without wanting to be too blasé about it I think it will be ok. I am thinking of the level and standard of fellow sparks that I have attended courses with and also Aussie sparks I've worked with. Most found the theory side of it all a struggle at times and some even found it tough going wading through the regs for 16th and 17th edition exams (essentially a reading exercise).
I imagine there will be a few that generally struggle but get through with a bit of work. Then you get others that turn up, don't give much of a f@ck and fail thinking the world owes them a living. But by doing as much of the book as possible, working in the evenings boning up during the course and applying yourself I think it will be fine.

I hope anyway :confused::)

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

I agree PMA ( positive mental attitude )

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

This is a my quoted post from when i just passed the course.

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

When i did it, i was the only one on the course, after the first day the tutor let me take the exam paper home and i did most of it that night lol
It all builds up because youve come so far and its really important to get your A Class, but seriously, you will be fine....:thumbup:

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

hi straussmouse

lol! thats unbelievable!! if you were under exam conditions would you gave considered the questions to be difficult? also, when did you take the course?

i think your definately right about it all building up... alot is riding on the a grade, for everybody. for me, as ive got a 457 and sponsored by a company, its a condition of my employment contract that i pass! extra stress! lol!

thanks again for the post

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

The max demand and cable calcs were different so if i hadnt of completed the workbook prior then i may have struggled. As others have said, do the workbook and you will be fine, if you are still struggling then the tutor will go through it with you. I didnt do any of the exam for over half the first day, we just revised. Then i did the exam at home and continued it the second day. I did the exam exactly 2 years ago but nothing changes in Adelaide, trust me!

Re: PEER Course help - Adelaide
 

well its certainly eased my worries a bit! lol! lets hope nothing has changed!

thanks again