Welsh Soroka

Thanks for the info Welsh Soroka.

So, if accepted, I've got a max of 5 years.

Where did you find that info? I've been looking everywhere.

sorry if didnt word that the best. Its 5 years from your grant date. My visa got granted this week, thats where i had the info from

Hi guys.

Here's a heads-up on the Vetassess exam.

The day of the exam (North London), we were kept in a classroom for 30 minutes because they couldn't find all the paperwork.

Be wary of the time allowed, they say 6PM on the paperwork, but at 3.30 we were told that we had 45 minutes left.

You don't have to bring your own tools, but it's better if you do (the tools provided are pretty basic, you lose more time waiting for them, you will always work quicker and better with tools that you're used to).

It's pretty basic stuff on the board, 2 way switch plus lamp holder, socket and spur, PVC pipe, clipping, small board with RCD & MCBs.

Watch out for the trap - follow the dimensions given between switches, etc. The switch that's higher than the socket on paper, might be lower on your board. Follow the dimensions given !!!

Pace yourself to be finished at 3PM, and then test your installation (beep it) to make sure your light is off with the 2 switches up, socket poarity etc.

The examiner next door checked the mesurements, ours didn't (he just took photos).

The board work is fairly straightforward (I haven't bent a PVC pipe in nearly 20 years), just watch the time.

One of the guys had really taken his time, and the 45 minute call at 3 o' clock meant he didn't have time to finish.

During the day you'll get called away to test some gear. Ours was a heater with a ruptured heating element, and N-E fault.

It's fairly basic, even if you're not used to fault finding. You'll have a megger and multimeter given to you, as well as a test report form.

The trickiest part of the exam is the "disconnect - reconnect". THIS PART IS CRUCIAL, if you mess it up, you'll have messed up the whole lot.

Learn their proceedure by heart, and practice it on any piece of kit (I rehersed on the hotel hair drier for 2 hours the night before - and was, the next day, glad I did ).

Talk your way through the proceedure, be logical in your approach, DON'T FORGET TO TEST YOUR TESTER before and after every time you use it, and tell him why. Show the guy you know what you're doing, so if you make a mistake, he'll put it down to nerves. I cannot emphasise enough how important this part is. Learn it by heart.

There's a multi-choice exam that's not too tricky. There are (what I would consider to be) trick questions. Read the questions carefully. It's not an easy exam, simply because of the environment. There are people talking, moving about, etc, so it's easy to get distracted. Pay attention to exactly what they're asking for. It's the first time I've taken an electrical exam, where all the formulas are printed on the back page (crazy, huh!!!).

If I remember right, there are 5 sections. You're allowed 1 mistake in each. Although, the examiner will tell you before he finishes your paper if you "need to have another look". He gave papers back to guys, and told them that they needed to get at least 4 right in each section. He puts a tick next to the right answers and writes nothing on the wrong ones, so even if you make a few mistakes here, it's not a disaster.

To sum up the whole lot - It's a VERY expensive, unrealistic exam, which, once passed gives you an OTSR (offshore technical skills record).

This piece of paper is needed for a visa application, but once you're in Oz, it's only use, is to wipe your ar5é with.

The safety authorities in Oz reckon that your 20 years experience and qualifications mean very, very little, and your OTSR even less.

Because the regs are different, they tell us that we are 4 th year apprentices.

Try and get a job with that.

The regs are different for laywers, doctors, driving instructors, project managers, etc. , but it's only us sparks that have to go through this gap year bu11sh!t.

There were back doors (Victoria licences etc.), but these have all but closed.

You have to go through the Vetassess process, to be told in the end that this "qualification" is worth nothing.

Vetassess is a long haul, to get your OTSR, but it doesn't finish there.

Once you're in Oz, it's a year long process to get your "A" licence, including college time & site logbooks.

So, the only question is..............is it all worth it ???????????????

Hope I've been some help, and good luck.

PS. Good luck also to the B&I lions, may they kick (especially the Irish boys) the Aussie's ar5es.

PSS. I'm also looking for info on the max. time between a visa being issued, and arriving in Oz. Anybody got any ideas ???????? thread "Max time"

If your on the 190 visa you have one year from the grant date to activate the visa then within 5 years of grant date to make the move to oz

What you want to know fitnesstasha?

Hi people, a bit of your expertise is required if possible. A little confused by the whole process.

I work as a maintenance spark doing breakdowns and installation work. and have previously had my skills passed as a electrician special class by TRA (for migration purposes one). I now require a ARTC, however looking up on the TRA site there is no electrician special class there. There is only a electrical mechanic and electrical fitter. Working on breakdowns and installations on electro -pneumatic/hydraulic machinery and plant is it the electrical mechanic category?

Also does it matter that previous skills had been passed as electrician special class and then getting a ARTC as electrical mechanic or fitter as there is no ARTC for special class?

Soroka