British Expats

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   The Update Forum (https://britishexpats.com/forum/update-forum-107/)
-   -   Frustrating and desperate (https://britishexpats.com/forum/update-forum-107/frustrating-desperate-426348/)

Alana and Arrons mum Mar 1st 2007 9:17 am

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
Great to hear things are picking up for you.
Keep going with croc computers-I am sure to need help with mine when we move over in May!
From one geordie to another-keep yer chin up son!
Andy

sj oldfield Mar 2nd 2007 6:16 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
It would appear that there is an 'unwritten rule' that says that a Pommy cannot get work in their profession until they have done the 'hard yards'.

Not true, my hubby started work within a week of arriving here. OK, he doesnt earn as much as he did in the UK, but not many of us do.
The bloke he works for now, even took my 19 year old to train him up. He doesnt pay him the low apprentice wage, but pays him on merit. AND he is on a good wack!!!

Caggsy Mar 9th 2007 2:35 am

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 

Originally Posted by jemmaandjon (Post 4403298)
Hi sorry to but in and change the subject I noticed you said your hubby was a plumber/gas fitter, my partner is too. We are just on the very beginning of starting trade applications but have heard a few worrying things about plumbing and heating contractors e.g hard to get work, very experienced plumbers having to start of as apprentices, low wages am a little worried as my partner does very well over here as a plumb/heater (does new houses). Do you have any advice, any pointers we will be heading for brisbane suburbs I think. Any thing would be very very much apreciated , again sorry to change subject!!! Many Thanks Jemnjon;)

JemmandJohn - sorry it's true about plumbers/gas fitters. Very poorly paid, lots of maintenance work available. My OH has over 20 years experience and struggled to even get an interview (we were in Sydney - now back home but toying with going back out to Perth). Really surprising as plumbers are on the MODL!

Make sure you do your homework!

shelloz Mar 11th 2007 8:20 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
Hi guys, sorry to hear that you have been having difficulties finding work in your profession. But as an Aussie, with a Pommy partner, I'd just like to say that it is just as hard for us to find work as you. Most tradies love Pommy's, they have a good rep for being hard workers. It can depend where you live, where you look, how hard you look. It's not generally an easy thing, but if you start looking before you actually arrive, and move to somewhere there are lots of jobs advertised, then you should be on a winner. My partner came on a WHM visa and ended up starting out working for some friends of mine, but a short time of asking around (and searching the yellow pages and ringing around) he ended up picking up a great job which he loved in his profession, electrician. We then moved to Brisbane and he got the first job he applied for within his first week up here. No drama. Agencies can be a bit slack but newspapers, particularly in the suburbs, are full of opportunity. Good luck to everyone and stay positive. Australia is worth it. I lived in the UK for two years so I know.
Take care

Wilgar Mar 12th 2007 11:33 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 

Originally Posted by mick_newcastle (Post 4417717)
What a difference a week can make.
My wife took a call 1 hour ago - she has been offered a Job at a school in caboulture - never even met the woman. Permanent. full time.
During the telephone call the power blew and a fuse in the electrics needed resetting - seriously.
My wife blew the power at the moment of being offered the job and its a wireless/ handsfree...... spoooky

I have got 2 jobs tomorrow and I am handing business cards out like sweets to anyone that will listen.
Thanks for everyones support We needed it and the power of positive thinking seems to have made a difference.
- i think we may have made it - long way ahead but just maybe.
Thankyou all

Fantastic.I was scrolling down to say `hang in there` and well done for being positive! Good things come to those who wait(tho` I`m an impatient person!)
I`ll carry on scrolling down to see what happened next.
Good luck !

SJR Mar 13th 2007 12:31 am

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 

Originally Posted by mick_newcastle (Post 4417717)
What a difference a week can make.
My wife took a call 1 hour ago - she has been offered a Job at a school in caboulture - never even met the woman. Permanent. full time.
During the telephone call the power blew and a fuse in the electrics needed resetting - seriously.
My wife blew the power at the moment of being offered the job and its a wireless/ handsfree...... spoooky

I have got 2 jobs tomorrow and I am handing business cards out like sweets to anyone that will listen.
Thanks for everyones support We needed it and the power of positive thinking seems to have made a difference.
- i think we may have made it - long way ahead but just maybe.
Thankyou all

Hi Mick

That's great news. It just shows how quickly things can change...same thing happened for us. It took my husband 5 months to find work when we arrived and we were getting very concerned. My husband is a software developer and we got sponsored on his skills but then started wondering if his skills were actually needed here at all! Anyway, 14 months down the line and having our own business, he has lots of work, too much to be honest but we don't want to turn any away at this point. We'd rather contract out the work. Good luck from yet another Geordie!

Sandra

Australia Immigration Mar 16th 2007 7:55 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
Hi Mick

Its is good for you to give a candid overview and a reality check of what you might and regularly people do encounter - it can and in a lot of cases is tough and the transition can take between 3-5 years.

Mick whilst handing business cards etc have you tried the BNI ?

http://www.bni.com/ (Find a Chapter)

This are professional meetings that will cement you into the local business community - will take some time, bags of experience and usually very helpful business owners, only to happy to make introductions, give advice and 'network'.

The most important aspect of changing countries is building your networks once again - professional (known on the circuit) & personal (socialising).

Kind regards

Chris

kevinbloomfield Mar 19th 2007 9:03 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
All of the BNI's on the Sunshine Coast already have an IT person. Might be worth joining the chamber of commerce at Kawana though. Also there seems to be a fair few networking groups up here which might be worth going to.

Australia Immigration Mar 19th 2007 11:05 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
Hi

If there is truely both sides of the IT coin represented (hardware & software) on each BNI then perhaps the industry body :

www.itcra.com

Professional circles, news updates etc and contract (sub) work you might be able to pick up.

Kind regards

Chris

SJR Mar 19th 2007 11:41 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 

Originally Posted by kevinbloomfield (Post 4537161)
All of the BNI's on the Sunshine Coast already have an IT person. Might be worth joining the chamber of commerce at Kawana though. Also there seems to be a fair few networking groups up here which might be worth going to.

Agreed re the Chambers of Commerce. We joined when we first arrived and they've been great. My husband goes to all the 'business after hours' meetings and has made some good contacts. Also, he won a tender for some work the Chambers wanted doing...software development. Definately work joining.

somme Mar 21st 2007 8:32 am

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
We are both really pleased for you, new to the web site but really felt for you. Please let us know how things go.:)

kevinbloomfield Mar 21st 2007 8:36 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 

Originally Posted by Australia Immigration (Post 4537534)
Hi

If there is truely both sides of the IT coin represented (hardware & software) on each BNI then perhaps the industry body :

www.itcra.com

Professional circles, news updates etc and contract (sub) work you might be able to pick up.

Kind regards

Chris

In Maroochydore and Caloundra there are companies doing all aspects of IT work including hardware and software in the BNI chapters (4 or 5)

I may look into joining the chamber of commerces myself, I think it's very cheap and the more contacts the merrier

obiwan Mar 24th 2007 7:03 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 
just saw this thread too....

glad to hear things are turning out very well for ya Mick!

cheers!

shirlee Apr 2nd 2007 11:49 am

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 

Originally Posted by mick_newcastle (Post 4399865)
We made the move in September and nearly 6 months in to date ive had 5 days work and my wife is still waiting for her official Teacher registration from queensland.

Keep your house on - come here get established then sell is the best advice I can give, unfortunately we were not in a position to do this.

We moved to the sunshine coast and there is no IT work whatsoever going on - may have to move to Brisbane. Can't move yet until we know whats going on with her teaching.
Getting the visa is the easy bit - starting your life from scratch is the hardest part.
Australians are friendly people, will make you feel welcome, they just wont use you in business (old boy -network who you know not what you know).
Bureaucracy is unbelievable - never ending red tape - my wife had to turn a a supply teaching post down this morning as she needs to register her stuff with another office - which is a 50 page form and we are waiting on stuff from queensland education authority.
The left hand here doesn't know what the right hand is doing - think england in the 80's - and thats how things work here.
2 weeks ago my wife applied for a telephonists Job for money that wouldnt match our rent and was told she wasnt qualified.
I went for a computer consultancy/ technician job up at Noosa and the guy asked me how much my rent was - i told him $410 (not really his business to ask) - he offered me the job and offered me $400 a week.
Can't get any lower and I feel that we will get there it just is sooo hard.
Started my own Computing repair business (www.Croccomputers.com) made nothing. Nearly skint - cant afford to go back and wouldnt want to anyway.
The place is beautiful (been raining for 3 days now) - we arent going back to england.
To some up - expect to earn less than half what you did in england but trade it against how beautiful the beaches are and theres still plenty you can do for free.
Rant over any suggestions - not whinging but worried.

Too Easy - yeah Too hard

Know how you feel. We arrived in Adelaide in December (bad time for jobs I know!) My husband couldnt get a teaching job, needed so many other qualifications it was a joke. He even had to have his degree assessed to make sure it complied!! He eventually found a training job, half the money he was on in the UK. Its all a bit slow here and 53 forms for everything.

bloofox Apr 6th 2007 8:35 pm

Re: Frustrating and desperate
 

Originally Posted by mick_newcastle (Post 4417717)
What a difference a week can make.
My wife took a call 1 hour ago - she has been offered a Job at a school in caboulture - never even met the woman. Permanent. full time.
During the telephone call the power blew and a fuse in the electrics needed resetting - seriously.
My wife blew the power at the moment of being offered the job and its a wireless/ handsfree...... spoooky

I have got 2 jobs tomorrow and I am handing business cards out like sweets to anyone that will listen.
Thanks for everyones support We needed it and the power of positive thinking seems to have made a difference.
- i think we may have made it - long way ahead but just maybe.
Thankyou all

Mick,

Good to hear things are straightening out, I think we met you at Coolum Woolies...Gav the Mackem and Paul, the Leicester fan....if not there's at least two Geordies running around on the Sunshine Coast in Mag tops.

Almost spoils the place actualy.

None the less, if you're still Billy No Mates at the Golf course we'd be glad to knock around Coolum, or anywhere you like..

Either way Good Luck to you and the Mrs Mag.


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