biggaf

Just got my A grade and was wondering Is the cert iv instrumentaton course going to better your chances of work. Will it help you in the construction fields?

Has anybody got any info on Gorgon?

I've just done my comms course in September, and the capstone is booked for the start of December. And I arrived in Sept 2012!! Fair enough I was in holiday mode for the first 6 month, but keep yer eye on the ball because the hoops you have to jump through start to get to you. I think it takes about a month after all this to send paperwork to vetassess etc before you get your license aswell.

colinmaclec,

just a small question Col, I'm on the 9th assignment now and only just started filling in the log book. The log book can be back dated to September when I arrived thank god,so should be done in the next few weeks, but do you get one last assignment once you complete the first 9? Its hard frikkin work with the kids running round!!

​Also, did you have to wait long for the capstone exam?

Right lads, just a quick question. Any jobs going? Industrial? For a 41 year old spark whos having to retrain as an ozzy electrician lol!

Just thought i'd sign in for the first time in about 6 months, just to drop in a report. House bashing for a mate for the past few month and it pays the bills. Still keep trying with construction companies and such, Gorgon wont touch you cos you aint as good as a t.a. in their eyes. Like everyone says, you need that license but doing the work when you have a family to look after it takes alot of time.

I know where your coming from, I havn't registered for the log book yet (another $40) but the lecturer said that you can backdate it from when you started work.

Just need to get me arse into gear, but when you've been at work all day its hard work to start doing it.

Hey Colin,

How you finding the homework? Just had a first look at it after finishing the course 2 weeks ago. Can't believe you have to do all this just for the license, and you can't do it quickly. And just as summers about to start....

Haha,love it! Totally agree Paul, I've been putting new fuseboards in some houses and some of the wiring is unreal. Neutrals all blocked together behind the boards and then one cable out, same with the earths but they're soldered,"mixed circuits" meaning lights and sockets on one circuit but its alright cos you marked it up! No ring circuits, just a 2.5 radial to a jb then split 5 sockets from it. Unbelievable. Lazymansruffaschipsozzyelecs.com!

Col, there seems to be a good amount of jobs on seek.com, it's just a matter of the licensing milarkie. At least you'll be one of the first through the new system.

Crowded House, every house we go to view a rental its the same crack- about 20-30 people at each appointment. We're only in a small suburb 40 mins south of Perth, but it is hard. And yeh, the 100k is a long way off. I'm on 40hrs at $35ph, and take rental at $450 and then bills ($300ish) then you aint got much left to save for a house.

But on a more positive note its a great lifestyle, and if you like being outdoors then its defo worth sticking it out. Better jobs will come along, its better than cold damp grey England!

Sounds great! Not really looking forward to it, but needs must. If only we'd have came over 2 months earlier it would have been a different story.

Anyway, it'll all be sorted in 12 months time. Capstone ahoy then A grade!

How's the course treating you Colin?

Did you say that you had been working already, surely that must count?

I am on the first 2 week course starting next Monday since the July Changes for WA

Yeh, Good Luck pal. I'm on the one at the end of the month. Can't wait.......

Anybody done the 2 week gap training in Perth yet?

I've been in Perth for 3 weeks and just started work for a family friend. I applied for my license from England and received it in July, just after the rules changed, so I have to do the gap training. On the license it says you can carry out "electrical installing work while under the supervision of a licensed Electrician under Regulation 50".

I'm shown the job in the morning, he go' s off to another, any probs I ring him, I also have a 3rd year apprentice who's knowledgeable so the work gets done.

Going back to the gap training, if you go the vetassess route, you come out with a level 3 qual as a aus spark and your A grade, which means you can go state to state. With tra you just get the A grade. The Ozzies like you to be qualified. This was all found out while talking to a lecturer over the phone on Monday. Also, once the 2 week course is complete, you can complete the log book in less than 12 months. The only thing I forgot to ask was what the log book consisted of.

Oh, and you have to do a capstone? test at the end of it, like a AM2 Test in England.

Hope this helps guys:)

Hi biggaf,

seen you on BE. Yeah, I reckon instrumentation is the way to go. To be honest I 've just been concentrating on getting my full license to start with. The company I work for do a lot of domestic and commercial work. Not into domestic work and they've given me a lot of the commercial stuff to keep me happy. Long term, I don't know , want to keep my interest up in the trade so I have looked into getting an instrumentation qualification but like I said my focus right now is to get a full license.

Where are you at right now?

Regards Derren

Still in England Derren, but fly to Perth on 3rd September. I've got a fix with a family friend doing house-bashing, to keep the money coming in . He said he'll sign the log book etc as we go along. Is the log book like a tick and flick, or do you have to write the jobs up? Not looking forward to it at all, but after 12 months there should be employment for man and dog! Lol

Hi Derren,

Did you ever look into the cert4 instrument course. Would it be worth doing ?

Just lucky to get on the 2 week October course through a cancellation, had to bite the bullet. Used a friend's address in Australia to get some paperwork delivered for when we get there on the 4th of September.

Hopefully the log book can be completed in less than 12 months.

Arthur,

Do you think the large companies need to re think , and start taking on more ta's?

This just gets worse. No information or warning from Vetassess at all. We called Energy Safe this morning as they have had problems processing my application payment. we paid over the phone and then asked to be transfered to the licensing department to find out exactly whats going off! They informed us that there is one place now that you can do the gap training and this is Polytechnic west. The course will run for a year. No more 2 week course, to get your license! this loop hole is well and truly shut. We then called Polytechnic west and spoke to the department who is carrying out the training. The nice lady on the phone answered as honestly as possible with "we dont have a clue whats happening, we dont know what the course involves all we know is that Vetassess has appointed us as the official college" she then went on to say "its a joke, there are companys in perth that are desperate for ellectricans, we dont know how long the course will be for but there will also be a seperate course for employers to boost confidence in taking on electricians with the restricted license. we have a meeting scheduled with vetassess next week, until then we dont have any answers for your questions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I feel like im having a nightmare and that any minute im gonna wake up and everythings gonna be ok again.

every job on seek.com.au states Electrician wanted must have A GRADE LICENSE!!

The meeting that's mentioned above, just so there may be more information available. I'm in the exact same boat as you guys, we (myself, missus, 2 children) are flying out on 3rd of Sept and straight into what looks like a nightmare.

If you haven't paid your money then hold off until the outcome of the meeting.

Think I'll ring them next week to assess the situation again.

Good luck. It may get thrown out.

Colinmaclec,

I'm in the same boat as you mate, I've sent ny paperwork over to register and just waiting for a reply . Threads on different sights are saying different things. We just need to sit tight .

hi once we received the letter of approval, which did take exactly four weeks and that was with one or two phone calls to them to check it was being processed, we rang up the CET in Balcatta spoke to Leslie Dryden to enquire she said we could book into the ETL course date we wanted we just had to scan in and email her our letter of approval also our visa then paid her the fee over the phone and that was it we are booked in to sit the two week course. We did this about 6 weeks ago now. oh and no we did nt need an oz address she said to give her an address when we have one or in our case we will be doing the course before we have a permanent address, and also energy safety posted it to us here in the uk. hope this helps.

Hi garyheidi7,

I was just wondering, what visa you got granted and did you get your course fees subsidised? I'm just asking because I've read on here that if you get a PR visa then you get money knocked off the price, if its any help to you. How much did you finally pay(if you don't mind me asking:-))?

I contacted ETL at the start of the year and they said I had to be in Australia before I could apply for the course etc, but looking at what you guys have acheived it looks like the rules have relaxed. Think I'll send in my application and see how it gets on. Leaving for Perth in September, so hope I can get it all sorted for then.