UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Hi everyone

I'd like some advice please. I'm currently studying for a degree in social work and my partner is really keen to leave the uk once i have graduated, however I am concerned that i will not have the opportunity to work in my chosen field if we move. Are uk qualifications recognised in other European countries?

Looking forward to your replies

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I guess the first question has got to be do you speak any european languages?? I suspect that social work, regardless of whether the qualifications cross, is one of those professions where the language is imperative??

Jo xxx

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

It might be worth looking at Gibraltar - very British - could well recognise UK qualifications.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Hi,
Refer to this post:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...3&postcount=11

and the link to the UK NARIC.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Thanks for your replies, in answer to your question, i took french and german A-levels but that was a looong time ago, i still remeber quite a lot of french so could maybe do a refresher?

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

You could indeed...but French won't be much use in Spain ;)

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

you took the words right out of my mouth

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Loool oops i've not had my cup of coffee yet :D It makes you wonder how I ever got into Uni!!! I'm not convinced Spain would necessarily be the right country to move to, my partner just hates the UK at the moment - e.g crime, chavs, lack of respect, dire financial situation, the list goes on and on. However i just dont know if leaving the uk would be the right answer, could it simply be a case of "out of the frying pan into the fire"? My other major consideration is my kids aged 7, 12 and 15, what is the education system like in other countries, do English kids tend to integrate well? I'm so confused :confused:

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Now why does that sound familiar

What makes you think that other countries are any different ... just wondering :)

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

lack of coffee is always my excuse:rofl:


Honestly - for a 12 or 15 year old going into the Spanish system it would be tough - & from what I've read on the other European forums it would be at least as bad if not worse in other countries (have a look at the Education thread in Italy:eek:)

in fact for a 15 year old the only realistic option would be private English/International school

also at the moment if you have to earn a living it could well be "out of the frying pan into the fire" since there is about 20% unemployment here in Spain - much worse than in the UK

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

For a 15 yo it would be a bad idea - assuming he/she is in year 10 and half way thru the 2 year course work for GCSEs it would probably totally ruin the results. Unless you can find an international school that does the exact same GCSEs and has the same timetable to enable him/her to continue, which would be virtually impossible and you'd have to pay, not only for the schooling but also for the exams.

I personally wouldnt even consider putting a 15yo into a Spanish state school - the language problem would cause too much loss of learning in what is a very important time at school

Jo xxx

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

also a good point:thumbup:

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

My advice, for what it's worth - wait until your kids have finished their education, finish your own degree and then get several years of relevant work experience under your belt in the UK before you land yourself on any foreign job market. Oh, and study the language of your preferred country of destination, of course ;)
Otherwise you may end up trying to scratch a living in Spain/France/Germany/wherever, not doing what it is you really want to do (and you've made that decision by studying for a degree at this time in your life, good on ya!), then only to find you are then also unemployable in the UK.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Any job working for any type of governmental agency requires you to take (and pass within the top 5%) the Spanish exam called "oposiciones". Though Spain "should" recognise most foreign qualifications according to current EU directives, the reality "on the ground" is another story. I personally know of someone who spent almost 2 years getting their qualifications officially recognised (also incurring a hefty bill for the process)....only to find no-one would employ her anyway.
I note that you include "dire financial situation" on your list. With 3 children in tow, and with Spain's ever worsening finances, I would suggest that you might be moving to an even worse "dire financial situation". Also 15 years old is a very difficult age for a total life change, let alone to be re-starting schooling mid course.
I suggest that you make a very strong coffee for your partner.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Hey thanks for all your replies.

MitzyBoy - personally I think that all countries/communities will have their own problems, i suppose it's a case of looking at the big picture, and seeing if you would experience an "overall" better standard of living somewhere else, i certainly dont believe the grass is always greener somewhere else, thats just naive.

I still have 2 more years left at uni, so we are not planning on moving in the very near future, and realistically it would be sensible to wait until the older kids have left secondry school, especially now you've told me those horror stories, and ouch, those unemployment figures are scary...and i was worried about finding a job here when i graduate!

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Lol @ Hillbilly's post, great minds think alike :D

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

You should have named your post.....how to pacify unhappy husband;)

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I think the thread may have run its course but this is as rough and ready version of how I understand it after my partner has done a lot of work to see if she could get her degree and teaching qualifications recognised.

The new Bologna standard qualifications should be OK.

Recent UK qualifications, degrees for instance, have a list of units, modules, competences and the like. Those have to be translated into Spanish and then submitted to the Education ministry in Madrid. The process of checking takes about a year. That done the degree holder is told what shortfalls there are in the degree to reach Spanish standards and the gaps have to be plugged with extra units, modules and competences. Then you resubmit and see how it goes.

Old UK qualifications, like my 30 year old degree are useless as nobody can remember what they were about so there is nowhere to start the process.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I am just curious to know, if then the "oposistions" have to be taken, to get a job in a state school in Italy.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I'm guessing that the "oposiciones" are similar to the "competences" with which each country signed up to the Bologna Process agrees? A similar scrutiny of credentials applies to nursing, medicine, dentistry... as well as teaching.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

No, it is an exam that has to passed by all candidates wishing to work for the state, being rubbish collection, police, hospital cleaners, admin posts,teachers or whaterver.

The number of vacancies for each category are posted, then the candiates sit an exam after paying the entrance fee. Somtimes there are 1000s after a few dozen jobs.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

So it is open to any EU citizen to sit these oposiciones, assuming everything else is in order?

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I dont know the answer, but I dont see why not.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I thought only Spanish citizens were allowed, hence why you never see any English policemen etc here.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I think anyone can do the oposiciones who has right of residence/right to work but the language barrier does for most Britons. I do know British teachers who have passed oposiciones and work in State Schools.

I live in Valencia and one little extra problem is that parts of the exam test skills in Valenciano so even Castellano speakers might not be able to pass.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

It is confusing, and I am no expert on the subject. Had a quick read of this to understand the Spanish degree system, although no mention of oposiciones:
http://www.statemaster.com/encyclope...-process#Spain
It appears this "process" is a work in progress.
Higher education qualifications are divided into different categories (here in Scotland) with some "professions" being "more professional" than others. So-called "non-professional" occupations require certificates for quality assurances: eg. COSHH.
I guess the point of all this is that people would have any qualifications recognized under one umbrella. However, many students, but less workers...
I did hear that these select jobs in Spain (ie. those successful in their oposiciones) are rewarded with good salaries. The question nowadays is whether these are jobs "for life", or is that concept now obsolete (keeping in mind the EU's open borders policy)? Perhaps this is one way of "cherry picking" the best in the job market?

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

I see it more of a way of making money, if each candidate pays to study in an academy for each profession, (you need to have the exam curriculum) and they pay about 30-60 euros (guessing) to sit the exam, and it is repeated year after year for loads of catergories, it seem quite a money spinner to me.

And as for cherry picking the best for the job, who would be the best for a street cleaner, the one who does well in the exam on the better at weilding a big broom?

That is my take on the system.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

theres an english kid on "the other forum" thats been here ten years, or will of been at the time of application, he´s just starting to look into applying to be in the guardia civil.

apparently their stipulations is that you must be resident, of been here at least ten years, you cant work in your own town, etc etc. his neibour is a GC and is telling him all the info, so i guess it can be done, just nobody has thought of doing it.

personally, i think its a good idea, in one way, because of the language barrier, but bad, because an english GC or PL might "take it easy" on fellow brits?

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

any idea where to find info on these positions, where the vacancy is, what are the qualifications etc?

ps, rubbish collection in alhaurin is undertaken by a private company i think, ive already applied to them a couple of years back and nothing came of it, not even a "sorry but no" call or letter.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Here is a link to a site, which would give you a lot of information about opositions, hope it helps

Cheers

If you look under "convocatorias" you will see the number of places for each region. If you pass the opositions for a certain region, you will only be able to work in that region, it does not give you the freedom to move around the country, even if you do have a "pass" under your belt.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

? .. erm.. cheers ? lol :D

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

Do you want me to translate any of the categories for you, a random selection is

Forest agent, hopsital porter, teachers, admin, librarian, prison officer, vet, police.

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

nope, my spanish is fine..been here 10 years... just lack of link confuses me ;)

Re: UK QUALIFICATIONS
 

What a plonker :o:o..........http://www.masterd.es/masterd/oposiciones-101/

http://www.buscaoposiciones.com/