Aaronspark

Cant tell you how much that video had helped me mate, it's the wording in the paperwork!

I know mate. I had the same problem. Doesn't make sense. I was panicking before the test but much easier once you can see it done the way they want you to do it. Just learn that with the procedure and you'll be fine. Good luck

Few questions they asked

Where would I connect up a ballast on a fluorescent fitting to improve power factor - across L and N

Which 1 isn't a single phase motor - capicitor, slip ring motor, shadow phase motor, (can't remember other 1) wasn't sure of answer.

Work out inductors in series. - just add together

Name another smoke detector - ionisation.

Which battery charges - lithium ion

Ballast does what in fluorescent fitting - increase voltage during starting, decreases current on running, Improves Power factor? Not sure of answer

Transformer question - NP = 920, NS = 460, VP = 230 What is VS (115v)

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What's your email mate?

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Not been on here for a while, missed a few questions. Sorry for anyone that asked. I've got down emails I sent a mate when I did my practical in Blackburn. If anyone who wants it lists there emails I'll send them on. I wouldn't get too worried about the practical. Easier said then done I know, but it wasn't difficult. There's a video on YouTube that helped me out work the disconnect/reconnect. It was slightly ambiguous the procedure that they gave you to use so was easier watching someone do it. I'll forward that on with emails.

They tutor at the Blackburn college helped us out when I was there. Really good guy who didn't want to see anyone fail. If you can, take your own test gear it borrow a mates. They didn't even watch me do the test on my install when I turned up with mine.

Just learn the reconnect/disconnect procedure off by heart and have a look at drawings for DOL started. Got a drawing on email that I had to draw out then connect up using banana clips.

Don't worry bout it, it's more a pain in the arse getting your licence when you get out here! [emoji3]

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Been a while since I've been on here as moved out of our rental into our own place but thing are looking a lot better now. Work wise I have now been take on full time and kept on the same rate that I was on as a casual.

Where you working now mate? I'm living on the GC now, working in Brisbane. Started my training with Chris form QET. Just need to box off this training and look at getting work closer to home

Hi guys, has anyone completed the OTSR recently? Simon or Aaronspark it'd be great to know how you got on, i'm just about to submit my forms and could really do with a little reassurance about what to expect, vetassess don't give much away when you contact them... cheers boys

Got some stuff I can email to help you out Geezy. Won't get time for next couple of days as we're flying to Oz on Saturday and getting last bits sorted. Send me your email adrs and I'll get some stuff sent over that I've sent other lads going for the test. One thing I would say is try not to worry about it. Easier said than done, but it really isn't that difficult. Ppl do fail on the motor connections and safe isolation, but think that's nerves more than anything.

Maybe because she hasn't been there before and wants to be 'Central' to everything going on, whatever that may be! Everyone has different ideas of what fun is, some people like to be in the centre close to Bars etc

Calling all Electricians!!!!.....I'm a trade qualified Electrician, heading over to the GC on 20th Sept. I hold a restricted electrical licence and will be looking for work imminently on arrival. I have 10+ years experience as a qualified electrician in the UK, with experience working in Australia also. I'm extremely hard working, professional and would consider myself an excellent craftsman with experience in the Industrial/commercial and domestic sector.

Can anyone help a fellow Pom out and put me in touch with any potential employers. I would be extremely grateful. [emoji3]

Probably see you there! We arrive on a the 14th October after a few days in Singapore.

Be good to see some fellow POMS in the same boat. Maybe catch ya for a BBQ and beers! Going with my Partner and 7 year old daughter. Who you going with?

We're booked into Ashmore palms for 4 weeks at the end of Sept too. Been recommended a few times on here and good reviews on trip advisor. You can't go wrong with the price to be honest, compared to all the other holiday rentals we were looking at.

Hi Aaron, we are heading to the Sunshine Coast mid August and we too have just sold our house. Not planning on using any of the house sale money either but nice to know it's there if we need it. Husband has been told he has a job for when we arrive so that will be good. Obviously on tradie wage until he gets his license but all be worth it in the end. We don't have savings as such just the house money so we are playing it by ear. Your the only other electrician we have come across on here and we are moving similar times with similar age daughter if I remember correctly! Will be interesting to see where our journeys lead us.

Hey Maria

Not long for you then. We put our trip out back a bit as we were originally aiming for Aug. Was a bit too close with the house sale etc, but all going thru fine at the mo since accepted offer a couple of weeks ago. So your settling on Sunshine Coast then....You were unsure where to go wasn't you? That's good that your husbands got a job sorted. How did he manage to sort that out? I need some tips!! [emoji3]

Yeah, keep us posted on your move. Be good to hear how your getting on

Hi

Heading out to the Gold Coast in September. We will have sold out house and have money from the sale, but I'd be interested to hear how much money ppl went out with as I don't plan on using the house money unless I need to. Hoping to take between £10000 and £14000 savings. We don't have any jobs to go to. I'm an Electrician so will be on less wages for bout 6 months whilst working towards licence. My partners in insurance. I'm hoping to be working after 2/3wks. My partner once kids are settled - 6/8wks.

Darren

Thanks for being open and honest, some really good info there. Answered a lot of questions. Going to get back in touch with Chris and try and get the ball rolling. Not sure if there is anything I can do before I get there, other than brushing up and college work etc.

Do you have a list of agencies numbers you could pass on? Be handy if I can get registered before I head out.

I thought some work would pick up on the coast with the commonwealth games. Heard they plan to build a new town centre in coomera too.

Hey mate,

I used QET to get my licence a few years back. It's a run by Chris Williamson, a good bloke, who runs the company from his home in Coopers Plains on Brisbane's south side. It's a correspondence course where you study at home and at your own pace, but Chris is available if you need help.

I had to fill in a log book for 4 months as I had, the now defunct, ARTC. If you have an OTSR then I think it takes a bit longer, and the 1000 hours mentioned above would equate to around 6 months. The log book itself was just a school exercise book I bought from Officeworks or some other shop.

I had a one day assessment at Chris' house where I did the theory in his office/study, and the practical in his garage.

The theory involved completing two fairly straightforward maximum demand calculations and finding clauses in the wiring regs pertaining to certain situations. Finding the clauses isn't that hard but it is time consuming flicking back and forth through the regs. There were a few other questions but I can't remember them. but I do remember they weren't overly tricky.

The practical involved going through the testing procedure and finding faults that Chris puts on his testing rig. Before this, he took me out into the street to a green pillar that supplies 2 houses with an underground supply (most houses here have an overhead supply).

He asked me which fuse I needed to remove to isolate his house from the supply. It isn't labelled so I had to work out which one to remove. A heads up, it isn't a case of just turning everything in the house off an using an ammeter to find which cable has no load.

Another heads up, before you do anything, risk assessment, risk assessment, risk assessment. Took me ten minutes to remember that little beauty. Chris told me he's had people standing there for nearly an hour before they remembered too.

Chris certainly won't spoon feed you any of the answers but he will encourage you and be patient.

The hardest part will be finding work. It took me 3 months to find work. Hopefully you'll find one sooner but persistence will pay off.

 

Best of luck

Any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Regards Derren

Darren, great info thanks. Think using Chris at QET is going to be the way forward for me. He sounds like a good guy, and without the hassle of going to TAFE. I've emailed Chris to ask for more info on the course. Would be good to keep in touch, as I'm sure I'll have a few questions once I start.

Quite worrying it took you 3 months to find work? Where bouts are you working now?

Aaron

I have now been here for 4 months ans started work back in January and i'd have to say it's not good, the hardest part about being a sparky is the first question you get asked is do you have a licence not yet and there not interested, i was lucky enough to get a job but it's very hit and miss, in the 3 months iv'e only had 2 full weeks work some weeks 2 days this week 3 days. As i'm sure any spark's out there know you have to do some re-training either at tafe or a registered training organisation which is the route i am going down as you can do all the course work at home at your own pace, not hard just getting back into the calculations etc, managed to borrow a copy of the regs from one of the spark's and found a download of as 3008 so all good there. Also you have to keep a record of the work you have done and i have heard that somewhere it has to be a year, but the training i'm doing they have told me about a 1000 hours and then should be good to take a practical and theory exam, and good to get my licence by about June, the good thing with the course i am doing is that the guy who runs it used to work for the licensing board so getting the licence should be a formality. Pay not particularly good and this week have had my rate cut by $2.00 an hour they didn't even tell me so be interesting to see what they say when i ring up, trouble is can't rock the boat too much because i need to stay long enough to get my log book all signed off for work i have done. So all in all not easy but will carry on and then to look to get into the commercial sector where the pay is a lot better.

Where about are you based Saints Man? I've just started enquiring about working towards my licence when I arrive on the Gold Coast in Sept. The course is run through a RTO called QET. Is this the same company your using as the guy who runs it used to work for the licensing board also. Would love to hear your experiences etc so far if it is

Cheers Stuart. Did you have your practical today? How did it go?

Heading for the Gold Coast, and you? Had a mad 6 months sorting visas out, now in a bit of limbo waiting for house to sell. Shouldn't be too much longer thou.

Not yet. Got my visa in March. House is up for sale, hoping to go in Sept!! What bout you? The practical was pretty straight forward. The only bits that seem to catch ppl out is the reconnect/disconnect part (test testers after each test) and the Motor connections. The tutor at Blackburn college is a good guy. He helped us out if we needed it.

Yes, probably better if you take your own test kit. I took a set, was easier using your own and looks better too

I really wouldn't worry too much about it. I did mine back in November. I can send some emails that might help if u like?

Hey, good to hear how you're getting on. I have wondered as we'll be making the same move to the Gold Coast in the very near future. Still planning on moving to the Gold Coast in August. Been applying for jobs since getting the visa in March. But will come out in August, job or no job.

Not looking forward to trying to secure a rental in the area we want. We've also been looking at the Helensvale area as heard good reports bout the schools etc. Our house is up for sale, and we're hoping for a sale soon. Just not sure we'd be knowledgeable enough about which suburb we want to settle in when we arrive to buy! Glad it's all worked out for you though!

Which facebook expat sites have you been using since you arrived?

Can't wait to be in your position now, 6 months in. Kids at school etc. we'll be staying at ashmore holiday village when we arrive then trying to secure a rental form then. Plan to rent for 6 months then buy. Hoping we can actually get somewhere we want though!!

How have people found getting employed as a TA utill you get your licence? Is work easy to come by or are employers reluctant to take ppl on without a licence? I currently work in Operations so trying to get a job in the same role. Got my visa thru being qualified spark but not liking the thought of going back to apprenticeship days on crap money till I can sort a licence out.

I would definitely recommend Singapore airlines, especially if they have their stopover deal on, i recommend a stopover for a couple of days in Singapore as it makes the whole journey more bearable, emirates is very good, but dubai i do not feel is as good for a stopover, it is always about booking early to get the best price, the airlines put a limited no of tickets out on deals at the beginning of the travel periods, its important to find out the season dates because a change of a few days can put you in a diff price bracket.

It can pay to look at the airline website as they have special deals like stopover deals.

Are Travelbag still around, they used to be good especially their phone booking for 2 or 3 leg bookings.

Hi. Just been looking into these stopover deals with Singapore Airlines. Have you tried it yourself? If so, would you recommend it for children too? Might be nice to break it up a bit as the last leg to Brisbane isn't as long a flight either. They have stopover holidays on their site with or without attractions. Not too sure what the attractions include yet. Any ideas?

Is that £600 for 1 one way ticket or 2????