__phil__

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and would like to know if anyone is / has migrated to Oz with Graphic Pre-Press skills. After much thinking my wife and I have decided to start looking into making the move to Oz (probably Sydney) . I'm 28 and have been working in the same trade since I was 16. I don't have recognised qualifications but do have the relevant skills and experience for my trade. I score 120 on all of the points scoring test I have taken. Anyone out there in the same situation?

I know you have to take a TRA test first, but is that all?

I'm probably going to use an agent but I don't really know what to expect in terms of cost. What should I be looking to pay?

If anyone can fill me in on where the hell I even start, I would be very grateful.

It just seems so hard to get out of this S*!T hole country.

Thanks

andyaldy

We came out here 2 yrs ago, on my husbands visa as he has the trade as graphic pre press, having worked in this trade for 16yrs but no exams just experience, to begin with we submitted the forms to the tra and failed it, so it was 3 months wasted and the money, but it turned out we had only failed it as it was so indepth and missed things out, so we then decidered to go with and agency which was based in Mancheter and cost about 1200 uk pounds not including meds ect, after this it was straight forward as they told us when to do what and checked it first. Hope this helps you and more questions feel free to pm me.

The Crow

My husband, Adam, will PM you. He is trade qualified so his application was much more straight forward. We are in Melbourne and he has found his trade to be very much in demand here!

R

__phil__

Thanks for the feedback

Where are you living in Oz? Are there many vacancies for DTP Mac Operator/Typesetters in your area? I currently work in London for a Financial print company so I'm thinking of Sydney as having more positions for the type of work I do now. But you probably know that there are so many different areas in Graphic Pre-Press so I'm open to anything really.

__phil__

Thanks

hope to here from you soon

The howellers

Hi Phil

I also work in pre-press (repro), we sent our visa application off on Monday for Melbourne.
I started to get all the information together ready to send off to the TRA, so I might be able to answer some of your questions. We didn't apply under our trade in the end because my wife is on the MODL as a hairdresser, but I have two friends who did, one of them moved to Adelaide 3 months ago and said there is loads of work there, the other sent his application off last month for Sydney, so I can email them and ask their advice as well.

All the best

Justin

A few job websites
http://mycareer.com.au
http://www.seek.com.au/
http://www.alljobs.com.au
http://www.sagerecruit.com.au

Coppock

Hi, i worked in the UK as a repro artist/mac operator a couple of years ago. Trained up as a graphic designer, and working as a teaching assistant for creative computing at the college.

Want to move to queensland within 10 years (reasonable timescale lol), got a 3 month old daughter, and dread the thought of her going through puberty in this country!!!

Let me know how you get on, would be thinking of a mac operators/graphics/teaching job when i get over there, am flexible. good luck

Jen

unrefined_mind

Hi Phil

Migrated to Oz on the pre-press entry, been working for two and a half years as mac operator/graphic designer in Perth, and worked in Sydney for 12 months about 6 years ago doing same thing, in my opinion Sydney has much better options and pay for this trade than anywhere else in Australia. Do you have apprenticeship papers or any kind?

PM me...you can have my job

The howellers

Hi Jen

You want to move to queensland within 10 years! How come 10 years?

A friend of mine really wants to get into teaching, he has a lot of experience in all aspects of publishing, teaching creative computing sounds right up his street, If you do not mind me asking, how did you get into it?

any advice or links to websites will be much appreciated

Cheers

Justin

Coppock

lol, 10 years because i've just had a baby. she only 3 months. Got my student loan and some other debts i want to clear, Living with my parents (in an extension) so can save up a lump of cash to take with me! Would love to go tomorrow, but as I am not really skilled yet, been studying most of the last three years I doubt i'd get the visa. Just buying my time, as long as I'm gone within 13 years max, I really don't want my daughter spending her teen years on the street corners of northwich drinking bottles of beer and screaming at me about how i "wish she'd never been born".

Maybe that's a very errr one-sided vision of the future? My greatest fear of failing her.

Unfortunately the teaching job was a fluke. I studied my HND there, and when the job came up, my tutor rang me cos he knew i wasn't working (am still on maternity leave). Your friend is probably best checking out the local colleges. The one i work with tends to look for part time lecturers about summer time.

I know the city college of manchester are looking for design and visual arts lecturers, if thats any help.

http://www.ccm.ac.uk/ccm_gateway.asp?NavID=1723

Hope this helps. Wish him luck!

The howellers

Thanks for the info

I'm the same as you, I dont what my son (3 in july) to grow up being part of the chav culture in the UK.

Cheers

Justin

Coppock

He might be best looking on the websites of his local colleges. They normally have the jobs on the "about us" page.

I've only got a HND in graphic design, not a degree. Does anyone know if that's a high enough qualification to get the skilled visa for either pre-press or graphic design?

I feel i have three routes to follow, pre-press, graphic design, or teaching.

The teaching I will need a degree for, but was wondering what about the other two? Will experience be good enough on its own?

I think my OH Andy would go nuts if Tia (our daughter) turned into a chav lol. Or a skally!!! She's only 3 months and been banned from tracksuits. Although i'm a bit concerned - she's a proper tele addict, and adores cbeebies. She likes the teletubbies . . . I'm gutted!

My aunt and cousins moved to perth when i was 5 and i know how much i'd have enjoyed my teen years over there. Whether it's just the whole "the grass is greener on the other side", I just think Tia would love the sunshine, social scene, sports etc. I hated sport, but only because of the overcast and rain. I avoid going outside in weather like todays, it gets me so depressed! But go cycling for hours in the summer!

Coppock

Feel silly now, didnt realise you get more points for Pre-press rather than graphic design. What constitutes as a pre-press tradesperson? Would mac operating ready for print be enough?

Might have to beg my old boss for my job back lol

Gravyman

Hi

I applied successfuly as a Graphic Pre Press Tradesperson back in 2005 and we got our visa in 2006.

I only had 7 years experience and alot of my recent work was more Graphic Design rather than Pre Press.

My first graphics job was for a repro house but I was only there for 18 months.

What you need to do is to stress the Pre Press side rather than the Graphic Design.

I emphasised the repro side and tried not to mention Graphic Design too much.

If anyone needs anymore detaile info then feel free to PM me.

Graham

The howellers

What constitutes as a pre-press tradesperson? Would mac operating ready for print be enough?

Have a look at this link
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/services/...0&ASCO=491111C

My Friend was told by the TRA that he needed 6 years experience in pre-press !