Babsw

Some of you will know from previous postings that we ping ponged between Adelaide, UK and now Brisbane and have been here in Brisbane for a year now.Its been a mixed year, I found a job fairly quickly and although having to start all over again at bottom (unqualified child care assistant, was a teacher in UK) was hard, the people i work with and especially my boss have been fantastic and I really love my job and have worked hard to get a couple of aussie quals under my belt and have begun to rise through the ranks now.

My OH has had major trouble getting work, he has applied for and done everything he should do and finally after 12 months he has been offered a really good job( just yesterday in fact) and starts a week on mon.

Eldest son has struggled, he turned down uni when we got here and has worked in a bar, been out of work and really unsettled until last two months when he really seemed to click and has now re applied to uni, got a job and a car and is beginning to enjoy life, it has been hard for him, it isn't as easy to make friends at his age and not going to uni was worst thing he could have done but he's getting there.He's also in football team too.
Youngest two sons have slotted into school, football team and now have part time jobs in Coles so are pretty settled.
We've just moved out of rental and into our own home which helps a lot so its all taken time but we feel like we're getting there,slowly.We were determined to make it work this time, no rose tints and no thinkin back to UK being better,just getting on with it.Still like Adelaide but just wasn't right for us.
For any one worrying about jobs, hang in there and don't give up, we used to joke that OH only had a year to go and then could claim unemployment benefits.
3 years to go now for citizenship!

Sue

Hi Babs,

Thanks so much for updating us all. It's nice to see that things are clicking into place for you and your family.

Sue

mark 'n' joe

Thanks for the update, enjoy your new home. Glad things are starting to go well

irishbloo

Thats very reassuring for lots of people that are struggling.Well done for hanging in there.I hope things continue to improve for you.

nbn8

Hi Babs

Glad to hear that things are starting to work out for you. Could I ask are you working unqalified as you have not been able to get supply work as a teacher? We are heading to the Gold Coast ish area in July Im a secondary teacher and I am not expecting to find a perm position but was kind of hoping that I might get supply work in catholic/private schools etc. Thanks Nicky

Babsw

I couldn't get supply work because I had done the 3 yr degree course in UK for teaching. The original idea was that I would go back to uni in Brisbane and do the post grad course to give me the four yrs I needed to register as a teacher in QLD but with OH not able to get a job that had to be shelved and I got a job instead. It was in childcare which I didn't mind but again coz I hadn't done the post grad course I couldn't get recognition of my degree so had to do my cert 111 and diploma but I can now RPL 14 of the 20 modules of my diploma so I've nearly finished my dip.as well.
I also love the child care,I'm group leader where I work and really enjoy my job, I know the money isn't as good as teaching but then neither is the work load and I've realised a job you enjoy counts for a lot if you can manage so I'm staying put.
I fell into an awkward categorie with my degree but if you have four year degree you shouldn't have any problem.
I understand there are test cases going on now where people have three year degrees and have been heads of dept. etc in UK but I wouldn't have come into that as I was only NQT ( I did my degree as a mature student).
Good luck with what you do,

Babsw

Thank you every one for all your positive comments and here's to the next 12 months ( just hope they are a bit more uneventful)....we're off to a barbie this aft with some friends, they landed an hour before us last year and they've had a similar year so this is a special get together for the four of us plus kids....

mad city fan

Great positive post glad to hear all has worked out well hope I can tell the same story after 12 months been here 9 months things are good but not as good as expected, well theres still hope another 3 months to go

bluekipper

Thanks for this positive post,, Im hoping to be a ping ponger late this year earlier nxt, (all being well house sells)

so this is useful for me, plus I want to return to Adelaide!

Bluekipper

Babsw

hi Bluekipper, think we have been through similar things, remember reading your posts and I was pleased to hear you are trying again, sorry to hear you've got caught up in house selling problems.
Where abouts in Adelaide are you hoping to go to? We lived in Seacliff Park. Could never find any where to beat those views,I think that was part of the problem with depresion for me when we got to UK.I still pinch myself now thats its all real and thats just with the sunshine!

cgreen

[QUOTE=Babsw;8001413]
Some of you will know from previous postings that we ping ponged between Adelaide, UK and now Brisbane and have been here in Brisbane for a year now.Its been a mixed year, I found a job fairly quickly and although having to start all over again at bottom (unqualified child care assistant, was a teacher in UK)

Hi,

My husband and I will be moving to Brisbane in August next year.
I am a Secondary Science Teacher and am very worried about your experience.
What type of teacher are you?
How difficult is it to get a teaching job? Have you had any temp?
What is it your husband does?

Sorry for the million questions but I am Australian and found that in coming to the UK I had more job opportunities however am now heading back. Scared of trading in job security for indefinite unemployment.

Babsw

i don't want to scare anyone because my problems were mainly related to me and not general.I had taken the 3 yr degree in the UK to be a teacher and Aus. only recognises the 4 yr at present. I was going to go back to uni in aus and take a post grad course for a year which would have meant I could register with the QLD teaching board but coz OH couldn't get work I had to, which was why I took the child care position.
If you've done the 4 yr degree or have aus quals then there will be no probs. You will be able to register as a teacher and apply for temp. work straight away until you get a permanent postion. Sorry i can't comment on how much teaching work there is here but it seems pretty much the same as UK, lots of primary teachers but shortages in science, language and maths teachers for secondary schools.
OH is in project management/ contracts administrator/quantity surveying area in the construction industry.
Hope this helps.

cgreen

Thanks Babsw for replying.

I have the correct qualifications so there is no problem there however I know Aussies are very strict about qualifications and experience.

I just hope there are job opportunities when I get there?

My husband is a sales and account manager so again hoping there will be opportunities for him particularly as it will be a harder move for him.

Babsw

I have a friend in sales and she has had trouble getting work not because there are no jobs but because she's trying to find a job she enjoys but she hasn't been out of work since arriving a year ago and there seems to be plenty of jobs advertised in sales, have you looked on seek.com.au .Thats a good site for work.
I don't think you should have any probs with your teaching, especially being science and secondary, it seems to be more difficult with primary.
Good luck though, coz it is all a worry and stress but for us it has all been worth while.Only bit of advice i can offer that really worked for us was being careful with what money we had, it is tempting to rush out and buy new cars and phones etc but we tried to be cautious with money in case we couldn't get work and it paid off for us although it made it a hard twelve months to begin with.
I'm sure you'll be fine though!

bluekipper

Yep having another go, just this bloody house to sell!!!

Lived in Hallett Cove, I like it there, nothing wrong with Adelaide for us, just bad timing last time,wont be anything like that 2nd time round thank God, Im so glad your enjoying your life there.

Bluekipper