tallboy21

got here about 20 months ago
first went to brisbane, got gas licence a straight away, but getting a plumbing licence was a different kettle of fish. all they will give you is a provisonal licence. then you have to a few courses. if you want to go back to collage there are no places so you end up doing corrospondent courses which can take ages to do so i ended up putting them to one side & not doing them. i had 3 jobs in brissie but all 3 were crap & low pay.
so i decided to go to sa because i was told it would be easier to get a full licence which is not the case you still have to do a 80 hour course but there are no places you can do corrospondent but i found this very hard so gave in.
i have been working out bush at the moment which is ok but i still need the full plumbing ticket to sign work of so i have decided to go back to england get my old job back & get payed a proper wage also do some work were i will start useing my brian again.
it has certainly made me realise how good we had it in the uk,
i am 40years of age been doing all my life & couldnt face starting all over again.
word of warning to plumbers coming out here if you dont like doing the theory side of it you will find it hard & if you dont like clearing drains & digging holes then this is not for you.
iam not putting people of just trying to give people prewarning before you get out here.
also be prepared to spend a fair bit on licence & courses
is there any other plumbers out there that have found it hard & was it worth it in the end

york1e

Hi tallboy sorry it hasn't worked out for you .
we are not going for a year or so yet so i would like to be prepared.
please could you give me some info on the correspondence course many thanks Chris

SimonG

I was at the York Emigrate show last Sunday. First arrived and wasn't that impressed, but first person I spoke to passed me onto a guy who had been out there for eighteen months on the Gold Coast. Talked with him for a good 50 minutes and got his e-mail. He spoke of all the tests and assignments, I'm going to keep in touch and he is going to forward info as he gets it.

Demented Ferret

Unbelivable, it sounds like i wrote this thread. Been in Bris 2 years 2morrow. Been doing course for a year find it hard to get motivated when plumbing is crap .

If the sun didn't shine everyday i would go home 2morrow as money makes a big diffrence.

You can't beat unblocking a sewer on call on a sat night for $25 an hour.

Dale

tallboy21

hey dale
nice to here from someone else thats had the same fun.
hows the work been for you.
like i said were off back to blighty as i am fed up playing this silly game.
did read a thread on here a week ago about a provisional plumber without a gas ticket getting $40 an hour what do you reckon
tallboy

SarahJane2007

Hya, my hubby is a plumber and we have been out here since June...got his provisinal easy but now struggling to get motivated to do the correspondance course. He is working ath the moment and not getting paid too badly but good wages are like a far away dangling carrot. There are a few plumbers we know in the area in the same position...why dont you all get together and do it as a group? It might help keep moral up? Also we came over from Cornwall..where are you from? Where are you based now?

SarahJane2007

Hya Dale, my hubby is a plumber and I am working in Real estate, we agree that the sunshine helps us see light at the end of the tunnel. We also do shortlets in Bayside east Brisbane if anyone asks.

tallboy21

HI SHORTLETS
YEH WHEN I WORK IN BRISSIE THE BOSSES WERE ALWAYS SAYING HOW MUCH ILL GET WHEN I DO THIS OR THAT HAPPENS BUT I GOT FED UP LISTING TO IT SO MOVED WUDINNA IN SA ABOUT 6 HOURS FROM ADALAIDE IT BEEN GOOD HERE BUT THERE NOT ENOUGH WORK SO WERE GOING HOME NEXT WEEK BACK TO TORPOINT, NEAR PLYMOUTH.
I STILL THINK THEY MAKE IT AS HARD AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GET A FULL LICENCE SO THEY GET CHEAP LABOUR BUT THEN AGAIN THE WAY THEY WORK HERE IS AS RUFF AS A BADGERS ARSE ILL BE GLAD TO GET BACK TO ENGLAND & TAKE A BIT OF PRIDE IN MY WORK AGAIN
& BE GLAD THAT I NEVER HAVE TO LOOK OR DIG OR CLEAN A DRAIN AGAIN
WERE YOU FROM & HOW LONG YOU BEEN HERE

SarahJane2007

We arrived here from Falmouth Cornwall on June 6th. Hubby has been lucky working for the guy he is here in Bayside Brisbane....not on a bad wage and working towards his licence.

york1e

Hya shortlets and everyone else
please can someone give me some info about the correspondence courses
you have mentioned many thanks Chris

Demented Ferret

Hi Tallboy,sorry to here your on your way home, I can understand though. The thought of fitting a heating system is a distant memory. Are you on your way back to Cornwall? At least you're not from one of England's many and varied dives! I have a gas ticket and on $26 an hour, so if anyone can point me in the way of $40 without gas ticket I'd snap their hand off!!! Have a good trip and hope it all goes well for you.

Demented Ferret

Hi there Shortlets, Three of us have got together already to try and conquer the correspondence course - we end up chatting about day to day activities and still find it hard to get motivated - but another member would add to the conversation topics so feel free to enrol your hubby with us! Has your hubby started the course already?
If had more free days would be able to sit down and concentrate on it, but life is so busy.

What a coincidence that we both do short term accomm and have plumbing in the family - and funnily enough my wife has just applied to get into the real estate industry! Do you have a website? Perhaps we could keep each other in mind for referrals if we are already booked out? We are 30 mins North of Brissy.

Demented Ferret

Hi Chris,

If you get through the trades recognition and have your ACS certs, you will get a gas license no problem in QLD, as for plumbing you will have to do a correspondence course with 5 modules which are:

Estimate and cost work.
Establish business and legal requirements.
Plan hot and cold water services
Plan and size sanitary pipework.
Work based risk control process.

Two of these require an exam (Hot and cold water and sanitary pipework modules). Total enrollment fee is $169.99 for the whole thing. If you become a member of the library at the relevant TAFE (Aussie form of college), you will be able to download the AS/NZS3500 which are the plumbing regulations for free. If you go to the QLD Government website you'll find a link to TAFE info and you should be able to pick up more info here. Alternatively, 00 61 7 3892 0405 is the number of the guy who I deal with, but this is in Brisbane, so it may or may not be of use to you - his name is George Zahra. Where are you heading and how far through the process are you?

Cheers
Dale

BEVS

Hi.
We are in New Zealand and have been for 3 1/2 years.Just about to apply for our NZ passports.

Husbands a plumber.

Despite being fully C&G plus CORGI with 30 yrs experience, he still had to go on a limited licence here. Before being allowed to be seen as fully qualified he had to sit exams.That only allows him to work for an employer, not to become self employed. To do that he has to sit two more exams and a third in business studies. Bloody nightmare it is.
He is registered now but we are finding it difficult to be motivated for the other three exams. Takes up so much of the free time.
The saying in NZ is that NZ plumbers are the best in the world and sought after the world over. Himself says the plumbing and gasfitting aint all that.

We had heard that wages were better in Oz. Is that true? He earns $26 NZD here .

SarahJane2007

Hya...I've PM'd you...