crazy dee

I have been trying for three days now to write references from my previous emplyers to sign on letterheaded paper. To say i'm having a bit of a nightmare is an understatement!
The problem is i am usless when it comes to writing letters (probably why i became an auto electrician and not a lawyer!). I know the kind of things that should be in there like dates worked, salery earned, tools and machines used etc etc i'm just having trouble getting it all down and making it look right. Also i know the tra like as much info as possible but how far do i go? How many pages is the norm?
I would be incrediblely grateful if someone could please send me a reference they've had done for the tra to give me a better idea of what i need to do. My email is [email protected]
Thanks in advance for any help whatsoever.

Craig.

The Druid

You need to look at what TRA want in the refs then build it from there, i am in the aircraft mech trade so e-mailing you one of mine would be a waste of time, but I will try and help you.

Start with the usuall Mr Crazy D was employed as ------------ (precise trade important) from --------(precise date) to ---------(precise date). Reporting to -------------( name of superior) his duties included-------------(this bit needs to be exteremly lengthy and in as much detail as you can possibly fit in and remember as much as you can.

The way I did it in one job where I was there for 7 years was to go back to day 1 and build it up in order including any specific training dates ie.
"In September of 2001 Mr Crazy D attended a course of instruction on the use of an angle grinder and was awarded a certificate of incompetence etc etc."

You must also work in as much tooling and machinery you used when refering to a specific duty ie
"Mr Crazy D was transfered to the cow milking shed where his primary role was to check the milk tank level using a calibrated dip stick"

Try and be as precise as you can and fit in as many training dates as you can if you went to night classes to do a BTEC on checking the milk levels then add that in too.

Hope It all helps, I am waiting to see if I have done enough for my TRA 14 weeks now and still counting

crazy dee

Hey thanks a lot druid, that has made things a bit clearer. How many pages were your refs on average?

The Druid

CD

It all depended on how long I worked in a job, the shortest was 2 whole pages of A4 computer typed for a job I worked in for 18 Months, the longest was 7 A4 pages, that job I had for 7 years, the Stat Dec for my apprenticeship which complemented my trade papers and reference from BAe was 14 pages long.

I had to go back to 1983, It took me three months to get it all together.

Get the picture

Good luck and I hope you can type !!!

crazy dee

God! I've been at it for three days and only managed three paragraphs! Don't know how i'm going to manage to write that much!
The problem with me is that i have all the info in my head its just getting it all down on paper. Never was any good at this stuff.
Hey thanks for the advise Druid.

Springo

Hi Crazy Dee

Can I ask are you self employed?

Julia

crazy dee

Hi springo, no i am not self employed. Why do you ask?

Springo

Hi Crazy Dee

We have recently had our TRA approval back, but hubby was Self employed, I just wondered if we could of been of some help, but our references were from individual builders and not quite the length of the Druid, it is probably a different ball game when you are paye.

I remember when we first started gathering information and trying to put it all down on paper, it can be very daunting, do not envy anyone having to start the process.

With our references, we listed each individual contract and described what the job entailed. how much was paid, the length of time the job took and the tools that were used to do the job. Then gave it to the builder to put onto Letterhead and sign.

He also did a Statutory Declaration to explain his 27 years of being a Ceramic Tiler.

Just one piece of advice. Take it one step at a time, think back over your career, start at the beginning and list every detail you can think of, no matter how small, imagine you are trying to teach someone your job. State the obvious. get it typed up. let someone read it that hasn't a clue about your job, if they don't understand it, break it down further. This was the advice from our agent, Look at all your tools, list them down, explain their use. He even talked about a sponge and what he would use it for.

Good Luck

Julia

crazy dee

Thanks for the advice Julia. Was wandering, is a stat dec necassary? I mean if i get lengthy in depth references from employers Which go into details about work done, tools used, all that stuff do i still need to do a stat dec? Because i imagine alot of it would be repeating whats already in the references if you know what i mean?

AJR

Hi Craig i have sent you a email.

Alan.

Springo

Not sure on that one, Hubby served a 4 year on site apprenticeship, we had to get a director from that company to do a Stat Dec and then our agent advised hubby to do one too. not sure if this was because he was self employed.

Maybe someone else who has gone through the tra that has been employed could advise.

Julia

The Druid

You dont need stat dec if you refs are in detail and explain exactly what you did and the tools used etc.

I had to do 4 stat decs because the companies i wrote to asking for detailed refs told me where to get off, nothing personal but it was "company policy" to only supply the minimum reqd by law ie worked here as a fitter from 2 /9/04 to 3/9/04

Thrud

I have sent you through a copy of a ref from my employer, it will give you some idea, although I was a JIB indentured apprentice the gist will help.

Wait till you start writing up the job experience section on the TRA, phew!!!

Thrud

brissie bound

Hi Craig

Sent you a copy of the Hubby's TRA detailed list

Hope it helps

Good luck