I worked as an electrical fitter for 22 years before the company I worked for, closed down. I built all manner of switchgear but received no formal training or certificate etc. I was 100% trained as I went.
I'm in Australia on a permanent migrant visa (subclass 100) so have full right to work.
i found a job this morning that was pretty much what I did back in the UK. I met every criteria except for the minimum qualification of electrical fitter. I sent my cv but contacted the agency anyway who informed me that my experience counted for nought and that without the qualification, they wouldn't consider my application.
To get a qualification from scratch would take four years of part time study and it would appear I'd need to do it through an apprenticeship with a company any way.
I've looked at the ARTC thing, which would assess my skills and possibly give me a practical and theory test. But I don't meet their criteria either - I need to provide evidence of my qualification via certificate/college exam result, or prove that my skills meet guidelines set out by my respective union in the UK (never had a union or know where I would even fit in) or prove my skills have been assessed by someone who either knew my trade or took advice from someone who knew my trade, and that I had worked in this trade for seven years.
My skills have never been assessed but were obviously up to the job for 22 years.
Can anyone suggest what I do or try next, please?