bricklaying practical test passed Yippee !!!!!!

[teejaygb]

Hi all,

Just rec'd news today that my OH passed the practical he attended on 10th December in Lancashire. So now we can lodge our application for visa yippeee...
Can anyone tell me how long needs to left on our current uk passports when we apply. It says on the online application they recommend 6 months but this doesn't sound very long what happens if it were to expire before visa granted.

Many thanks to anyone who can help.

Wishing everyone a Very Happy 2008.

[Lynandsean]

Big congratulations on passing you practical test!
Just out of interest, do you still need to have a certain amount of experience/qualifications before they assess you? My OH passed the skills assessment as a plumber through the old TRA but we have a friend who is looking at trying now and I have no idea how the VETASSESS process works.

In regard to the length of time on the passport. Our agent advised we should have 2 years left on our passports (this was before the days of online applications!!). I agree 6 months seems a bit short given that they seem to be taking that long to process!!
Lyn

[Sammy77]

Firstly, congrats you u both, especially OH of course

Just wondering though what it was like, what did he have to do? My OH is bricklayer and eventually will have to go through this, just wanted to prepare him for what it was like. Also, hard or easy did you find the skills assessment paper side?

Thanks and well done again

Lisa x

Originally Posted by teejaygb

Hi all,

Just rec'd news today that my OH passed the practical he attended on 10th December in Lancashire. So now we can lodge our application for visa yippeee...
Can anyone tell me how long needs to left on our current uk passports when we apply. It says on the online application they recommend 6 months but this doesn't sound very long what happens if it were to expire before visa granted.

Many thanks to anyone who can help.

Wishing everyone a Very Happy 2008.

[Aldo]

I done the TRA skills thing but i would have much prefered to turn up at a colege somewhere and laid some bricks/blocks and someone (who knows what they're looking at) could say yay or nay. This new system sounds very pedantic and trivial considering that when you start on a site if you don't cut it your down the frog 'n' toad whether VETASSESS or anyone else says otherwise.

[teejaygb]

The 1st stage - paperwork assessment was very painless - just matter of getting all evidence together we sent off 2 years accounts to prove husband self employed bricklayer - signed references from private clients and also companies to whom my OH has subcontracted for - photos of work completed ie. extensions, block paved driveways patios etc, new builds, garages etc etc. Along with original college certficates from years ago and a statement from OH stating what he is experienced in. All this was signed by a magistrate and posted off to our agent for checking a few weeks later we had the good news - all he had missed was experience in work elevated platforms (not scaffolding as we thought this meant) he did a one day scissor lift / boom lift course and alls well.
The practical was very intense even for the most experienced - a bloke with 25 years in the trade still got hot under the collar so they do take it serious it was not a walk in the park by any means. My husband came away not knowing if he had fluffed it up or not becasue he said it is very hard working under that amount of pressure its not like when you do it everyday. They basically had to build a gable end complete with window opening, soldier course and stone lintel - this was made up with different types of brickwork, including old english bond etc. Working to a given plan. It was completed inside and the floor is well unlevel lol. As well as the practical there is a series of interviews with the assessors. Any one requiring more in depth info please feel free to private message and my husband will explain in full.

[pogo]

Congratulation on your Big success. I reall want to know more detail about practical test. what kind of setup is there. what kind of interviews they take. what kind of questations they ask. what kind of job they will offer in test. is that fulday work? etc. can you plz help me. thank you .