dave77

Hi there!

I was just wondering if anyone out there has achieved or is working towards full EWRB registration? I have just had my qualifications assessed, all ok for provisional. I have to do the Electrical Regulations coursework and exam and also the level 3 practical assessment. I just wondered if anybody knew what this actually involves please?

Cheers

princey

Hi Dave

Funny you mentioned it, im smack bang in the middle of doing the exact courses you mentioned.Im a sparky from London and im in Christchurch at the local college doing my regulations course next monday to friday, i did the stage 3 practical last week as my qualifications exempted me from doing stage 1 and 2 and also the theory exam.

The stage 3 practical involves stuff that we did at 16 at college, mostly motors, star delta, primary start, 3 phase and single phase, connecting it all up and doing tests like resistance at start up and running speed using all sorts of osciloscopes and test meters,etc etc, you also have to wire up and test a small fuseboard with rcd and mcb's, test it, do testing of appliances, a bit of circuitry but its mostly all types of motors over a 6 day course 8am til 4.30pm. You also do first aid and CPR, Testing, safe working practises too.

You get each assignment marked off as you complete it but you some how are expected to know it all even if its been a while since you did that kind of thing.I am revising past regulation papers for my course next week.The course is very expensive because you have to pay international students fees, it works out to be just under $3000 dollars which is roughly 1300 quid.On top of that i have spent 300 pound to buy all the regs books and electricity at work and NZ standards to do the regulations course and exam which is compulsary to have, sorry if im the prohpet of doom but thats what im experiencing right now.

Let me know if i have helped mate, pick my brains further if it helps

Good luck

Keith

It takes 8 weeks to get your results back and get your EWRB NZ registration.I have just applied for my provisional to allow me to work until my full registration comes through.

dave77

Blimey Keith!

That is a coincidence! Thanks for the advice, funnily enough we're looking at ChCh too! Sounds quite technical I better start swotting up!

Just out of interest mate, did you get a job offer before you arrived? Was your employer ok about not having the full registration? I've heard stories of being put on a lower wage until you gain the full license. Also, what type of Visa did you get, is it true that you can only gain a WTR visa until you get the full license?

Sorry sooooooo many questions!!

Hope you're enjoying it, and good luck with the exams!

Cheers

Dave

princey

Hi Dave

I have heard rumours too about lower wages while you are on a provisional licence waiting for full registration, guess it depends on the employer.

I have not found a job here yet although i have tried hard and being very proactive, i did email and post my CV and cover letters to nearly all the Electrical companies in Christchurch and i have done that all again since i have been here, basically work is very quiet here and the firms are not taking anyone on, still a bit of recession here so i used the time to do my courses.

I have found that most employers ask you if you have your full registration and also most jobs advertised state you must have your full registration so it really depends on an employer being willing to take you on under a provisional. Bit of a chicken and egg syndrome, you need the licence but cant get one till your employed?

I came out on a 1 year work visa under the partners visa scheme cos my fiancee is a kiwi. I did originally apply for the skilled migrants visa but with no job offer i could not proceed with it.NZ house in London are pretty fussy too. Sorry mate im not sure about the WTR visa but i was advised differently but different visa officers at NZ house, i found them very inconsistant, depends on who you see on the front desk before they assign you your own visa officer once you apply.

Im pretty positive that when i get my full registration it will be easier to get a job as you are most attractive proffessionally to an employer.In a nut shell you have to jump through a few hoops!

The guys you meet at college are great blokes all in the same boat, work is picking up in the building trade and lots of new houses being built over the summer..

Cheers

Keith

princey

I have only been here 8 weeks so its still early days.I dont mind questions from you, i wish i had someone who knew the ropes before i flew over but its not as hard as it sounds mate.Its a process to gain your NZQA then registration follows, the scheme with EWRB is good as you can only work as an electrician if you hold the registration. You may well need to do a site safe course here in NZ to hold a card that allows you to work on building sites, look up www.sitesafe.org.nz and dont get conned into doing the courses at NZ house, they are 300 quid when it only sosts 60 quid to do it here.I got taken advantage of and a few guys at college did the same too.

Cheers

Keith

dave77

Stick at it Keith, hopefully some work will come your way soon

May be worth dropping Wiz 'n' Ton a pm, he's a recruitment consultant in ChCh so might be able to help!

Speak soon!

CarolineSwan

My husband passed his exam last time round, be prepared to write your arm of lol there is lots of writing involved also make sure you write neat as if you dont and they cant really make out the answer they mark you down.

My hubby sat his when we had PR so he didnt have to pay that amount im sure his was around 800 bux or so. The pass rate is 59 which seems really low but alot of people fail it, Gary was working with a guy who was on his 4th go at it. Also he worked with a guy who has a nervous disorder and couldnt write so they kept failing him in the end they got someone to sit and write his answers down for him so they could read it.

You will get a job without your license, and its really down to luck if you get one with a good wage or not, my hubbys was a good wage and he was promoted to team leader within a month without his regs and has been given a wage rise 4 times since then, so not all spark wages are bad. I suppose its also down to how good you are at your job etc.

Gary is now going to college to become an instrumentation tech as he fancies doing that now. Where he works on the commisioning team there is now 4 of them and 3 of them are IT's(Gary being the 4th) and they are earning upto $100 dollars an hour .They have told Gary there is work with them so there is potential out there if you work hard enough.That course is going to cost around $3000 but its a 2 year course(mostly distance learning with practical every so often) so wont need to much of off work