CandS

Hi everybody, I've just found this forum and have been reading all about the vetassess practical/theory test. I've just sent off my written application so I don't know if I've passed that yet!

Thanks for all of the links and info about the day of the tests, it’s a huge help.

So, here is the question...How many of you lads who have done the practical struggled on certain aspects and aced others?

Did you say to the assessor “sorry mate I’ve never touched that before” and move on to the next part, proving extremely proficient at the next stage?

Did you still pass or are you expected to pass all parts of the assessment?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm relatively new to the trade (3 years) and I only have experience of Domestic install/testing/rewires etc. I have my 17th/Pat test/NICEIC membership but have not been down the college NVQ route or worked on commercial motors ccts etc so for a lot of the practical I’m going to have to do some serious revision...the thought of a technical interview on star delta, capacitors, resistors and dol starters is terrifying me!

Any help would be greatly appreciated...I’m thinking about postponing the application to give me time to revise this practical...and I’m shitting myself cos I hate exams!!

Cheers lads

Kirby Reynolds

Welcome to the jungle mate!

There s a link that steve o has put on. i ve printed the stuff of from that (resistors, stop start motor diagrams etc etc) just read through it. you ve got a while before the practical date and like you say you have to find out if your in that yet! Im in the same boat as you! im waiting on my paper work application being accepted. (thanks to royal mail delivering it late). I ve just had a letter through today saying there processing my application. Practicle has to be paid for round the 1oth september (£800.00) so i hope they let me know sharpish!

Keep your chin up and if needs be just email one of the lads of here thats done it. See what help they can offer!

Worst thing is you have to do it all again when you get to Oz with the TRA.

peace and prosperity (hopefully see you at the vetasses party in october)

CandS

Cheers mate, I've not looked that far ahead yet (to doing it all again with the tra when I get there)

Is that where you can go down to SA and do a two week course? I met a lad when I was out there who was doing 100 hours at his local TAFE, 10 hours every Saturday as he is working in South Brisbane through the week. I'm sure there are options when/if I eventually get there!!

I tell you what after all this studying and stressing I might choose another trade when I get there...something totally non technical for a change (12 years in Telecoms previous to the electrical work)

One step at a time eh

I'm off to notch a slot in the top of my head so I can get these pennies dropping!!!!!

docgp

Welcome C

There is tonnes of information on here, just search around and look for certain threads on BE.

As for the motors stage on the practical, it wasnt to difficult, even for domestic electricians who have never touched the stuuf

There are plenty of peeps who have posted on here and they know their stuff.

Just swat up on the theory side of thing and you should be ok.

Steve O's post at the top of this page will be very useful to you

Good luck with the journey!

See you down under soon

Doc

Forgot to add about the routes to licensing!

Look for wendy's posts plenty to read through there

any other probs, PM me

Janna and Nick

Hiya,

There is no pass mark. My OH failed his, we have been given a list of the competencies that he failed but we still don't really know why he failed.

You have to be able to do everything they ask you to and properly. Pay particular attention to OHS. The DOL is apparently something UK sparks have a lot of trouble with so make sure that you are fully conversant on all aspects of the practical.

If you can't do the DOL they will fail you for not being able to read diagrams and for not recognising electrotechnical components. If you don't inspect your tools before you start to work, they will fail you for not knowing about OHS.

Think of this as your driving test, you know where you have to inspect your car before getting in for safety and tread and all that jazz and then you have to drive without crossing your arms and stuff, which seems completely crazy after 8 years of driving.... but that's what you had to do to pass.... With this it is no different.

Be super aware of the examiners and even if you feel stupid, inspect every tool before you use it. Inspect each and every part of the installation or components of an installation before you start to do anything because you will fail before you've even started if you don't.

I am not trying to scare you, but I wish we had had more guidance with how to prepare as whilst we know the theory and the actual practical it's the stuff that you don't do because you're no longer in college that is the tough bit.

On the candidate guide for Sparkies they list the competencies that you need to show your competent in. If you take each unit number (eg UEENEEE002A) and search on the www.ntis.gov.au website, it will give you a bit of insight into what is expected of each competency.

Good luck, I hope you are successful. Finding out you failed is horrible!

CandS

Many thanks everyone, loads of great advice.

I can see myself saying out loud as I check through the cct's...so that's connected there, thats off and safe, sheathing on there, tester here etc etc etc and the examiner saying "and again please" like the advert!!!!

orrin

CanS
I see we are in a similar boat. I have only the C&G 17th and 2391, with only domestic experience.
So if you dont mind I would like to pick your brain as to how you filled in your on-line app.
Mine seems to be very weak!
cheers
Orrin

CandS

Hi Orrin,

I didnt do mine online. I printed the forms out and filled them in over four or five days.

I re did them a few times until I got them just right, then I got my wife to write them out because my writing is like a doctors!! I'm going through an agent so this is what I was told to do.

What is it that you are struggling with? I've kept copies of everything so I can have a look and let you know what I've got if that's any good to you...

Davy

HI CandS,
I did my practical in july in Glasgow and passed. I am also an NICEIC member. When you get your paper based assessment back you may be graded as a 2,which is proceed with caution because you haven't followed the traditional apprentice trade path. However this doesn't matter as my assessor said this is the chance to prove yourself.[meaning the assessment]. I must first say the assessor was an absolute gentleman and did everything possible to put us at ease. I would say the written part was the most nerve wrecking for me.We didn't know until we arrived-the pass mark for it is 50% and it is multi-choice.[so don't sweat it] You then do a small installation, radial socket, 2-way lighting etc. and then the dead tests. During the installation the assessor calls you away to do the D.O.L. starter[from a wiring diagram], some safe isolation,[remember to reprove your probes etc]. And gets you to wire some resistors in a mix of paralell and series. You don't have a technical interveiw as such it's more him just having a yarn with you and maybe asking you why you did something a certain way.
If there's anything you need help with give us a shout and i'll do my best.Dobermans threads and steve 'o' s were a great help to me.Davy.

CandS

Thanks Davy,

You make it sound a bit less daunting!

I've started printing out and revising all the info in steve o's posts, they are a big help.

When I get to the suppliers today I'm going to get one of these dol starter/emergancy stop things and see if I can get my head around it. Sometimes it's easier looking at it if you know what I mean. The problem at the minute is that I'm busy and I'm incapable of turning work down!

What's your next step then? are you waiting for news of you visa, how long do you think it's going to take from the time you passed your practical?

Davy

Well CandS,our agents in Oz & we're waiting to hear that the application is lodged(today hopefuly).She's applying online and has everything except our meds which technically we're not supposed to do until requested.On lodgement we're gonna get a ref no to take to our x ray/medicals appoinments.We're gonna do our x rays next week (£300)for 4.Then we'll get our meds done(nearly £500,from what I remember)for 5.
So hopefuly it won't be too long before we get a CO.Hoping to have our visas b'fore xmas-(our opinion-no way we'd tie our agent to anything but the official timelines!)Apparently with Vetassess path things move quickly.
Lookin forward to the only concern being selling the house.
Just pm or post if there's anything you wanna know.Good luck!Davy&Lisa.