Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

Hi guys.

Been lurking on here for a while as am planning on making the move. I have spent a couple of months in NZ and completely fell in love with the people, the lifestyle and the country. I like the direction it's heading in. I want residency and eventually to obtain citizenship.

My stumbling block? I don't have a degree. I have the specific highest qualification in my discipline of ICT Business Analyst (a BCS ISEB Diploma in Business Systems Development specialising in Business Analysis). I also have IT User NVQs at levels 2 and 3 although nobody is interested in those and also a Foundation ISEB ITIL V3 certificate.

This gains me no points though. It's mad really as on my courses there were people there with a degree in Computer Science who were doing the diploma to learn the skills and knowledge of a Business Analyst!

So I'm currently trying to get a job offer from here in the UK. I know this is a long shot but I've never given up on anything before and I'm sure as hell not going to start now!

I'm 30 and not 31 until December so if I don't get a job offer before the summer, I will go out on a Working Holiday Visa instead and try to find work as a BA whilst out there.

Does anyone know of anything I can do to help myself get there? My partner and I have been saving up and have a nice chunk of cash behind us so we can survive for a few months without incomes. My partner is older than 31 so is reliant on me for a visa having no skills personally.

I've spent months and months reading up on immigration for NZ and I can't see how to get around not having a degree when it comes to points.

Thanks for reading.

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

I take it you've also read up on the Silver Fern Visa

Have you considered having your assortment of quals fully assessed by NZQA to see what NZ level they are considered to be.

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

Thanks for the reply Bev.

I've put in for a PAR on my Diploma and included the NVQs. Will see what they say about that.

NZ House in London told me that they don't value professional qualifications like they do academic qualifications. Apparently people who are Microsoft certified who don't have a degree are in the same boat.

I looked at Silver Fern but I thought I had the same trouble with that in that what I have, although it's what companies are looking for to prove a BA can do what they say they can do, is not obviously points worthy.

Also, because I gained the Diploma really quickly (because I worked my butt off at evenings and weekends! lol) it makes it look really easy and therefore not high on the list although I did have to work hard to get it.

Will see what comes along, hopefully something will.

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

Well a spanner has well and truly been thrown in the works. Whilst i wait for NZQA to assess my measly Diploma which I know deep down won't get me the points for Skilled Migrant initially so am reliant on a job offer but more likely is that I will go out under a Working Holiday Visa.

The plan was that we'd go out to NZ and get ourselves settled with jobs and a fair idea of all things dog related before we brought our Labrador out.

Trouble is, the person who was going to look after her has now said that can't do it for very long. Due to the cost of getting the dog out there (with the possibility that my partner may decide it's not the place to be) we can't bring her out until we're absolutely sure of things.

So now, as there is nobody willing to look after the dog, we're faced with me going out there first alone to find something settled and then my partner and the dog following on later.

Whilst this might seem fine for some folks, it's not at all what we wanted. We wanted a joint venture, path making together. We haven't even decided on a fixed location yet, wanted to spend time all around NZ living until we were sure.

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

Hey

Sorry to hear you had a change of plan but would be interested to know if you heard back from NZQA on your PASA. I have same qual and agree that probably not enough but curious!

Thanks

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

The vast majority of NZ is not within commuter range of any ICT BA work. I'd suggest you work through that reality first.

A staged approach with one partner first is what many immigrants have to do, its not at all out of the ordinary.

Much of your early planning will have to be compromised/changed/modified or it will fail due to the very nature of what you are trying to do - and you don't appear to have children to consider.

Focus on what you want as the end game, the route you eventually take may be nothing like the route you envisage now. Approach it in that light and I'm sure you'll succeed. Try to stick too closely to any plan and it can cause problems, stress (there will be enough of that anyway), and possibly failure.

Good luck, its worth the journey.... :thumbsup:

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

We arrived at the end of Jan on a visitor visa. My husband has 10 years + experience as a Business Analyst/Project Manager, but has no degree. This is a major stumbling block for some jobs. He has been looking for work none stop. We wanted to settle in Canterbury but with the earthquake, well enough said, so then he has been applying all over for jobs, Wellington, Auckland, Nelson, Invercargill. He had a job offer in Invercargill but the salary was a joke, he flew to Wellington for an interview with no success. We came on a visitor visa as we were sick of trying to land a job from the UK, reality check, its just as hard to land a job while you are here. Our savings have dwindled to nothing and our visitor visa runs out in July. Unfortunately I think our dream will be over before its begun. If nothing comes through by the end of June, we will have to return to the UK with no job and no home. It was a big risk which we were willing to take and now we will just have to get on and pick up the pieces and putting a plan together for our next dream. Think hard and long before coming without a job offer. We were told he wouldn't have a problem getting work, not so. Good luck with what you decide, we learnt the hard way, but had a blast spending all of our savings in the meantime, no regrets, just wished it had turned out in our favour.

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

That's a bugger shingi.

I know of a consultancy firm that hires often in Wellington.........

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

Is the job offer in Invercargill still open? Some period of NZ employment often pens other doors with other employers and lets you into the work network....and may financially extend your time here to search further....?

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

Agree. As an emigrant you need to be very open minded, but it WILL pay off.

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

:thumbup: good post

Re: Newly qualified ICT Business Analyst needs help
 

hi, best of luck I did have a degree, so i can't relate completely, however i did come over on a working holiday visa, got a job offer in a shortage field and got a working visa, and then residency and hopefully next year citizenship. (I am an ICT BA- well have been, i do more systems analysty stuff now) And compared to most NZ jobs it's well paid work. So do try and get in that way, via the working holiday route. It's a good foot in the door. all the best.